You will prepare and submit a term paper on Klebsiella Pneumoniae. Your paper should be a minimum of 1250 words in length.

You will prepare and submit a term paper on Klebsiella Pneumoniae. Your paper should be a minimum of 1250 words in length. Klebsiella possesses two different kinds of antigens one on its cell wall and other on its capsule. The O antigen is present as a cell wall component on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and possesses 9 different kinds. The capsular antigen is known as K antigen and possesses as many as 80 different kinds. These antigens are responsible for the virulence of the organism (Podschun, 1998).

These virulence factors are responsible for a disease called pneumonia. Pneumonia is the disease of lungs and results in inflammation of the lungs. This results in necrosis of cells. It then produces thick, blood-filled mucous or sputum. The causal organism is Klebsiella pneumoniae. The organism gains access into the lower part of the respiratory tract and inhabits there as an oropharyngeal microbial population (Todar).

If the immune system of the individual is compromised either due to poor nutrition or some condition of illness then the individual is likely to suffer from pneumonia. It is observed that Klebsiella pneumoniae affects individuals suffering from either diabetes or display any kind of malignancy or witness liver disease or malfunction or if the individual is alcoholic.

Hospitalizations could also result in Klebsiella pneumoniae infestation and therefore the organism is becoming a source of nosocomial infections. Under these conditions, Klebsiella pneumoniae causes bronchopneumonia and also bronchitis. The patient may witness abscess of lungs or cavitations in lungs, pus may get collected in the lung cavities resulting in empyema or pleural empyema, as a result of pneumonia, this is linked with parapneumonic effusions. This is a three-phase ailment encompassing (Pothula, 1994).

Klebsiella also affects the urinary tract, causing UTI. It also disrupts the intestinal lining and hence causes diarrhea. It is capable of colonizing in the upper respiratory tract and causes upper respiratory tract infection.