Klebsiella/Enterobacter/Serratia

Question 1

What is Klebsiella?

Answer 1

• 2 species:
  
  • K. pneumoniae
  • K. aerogenes
• Gram negative
• rods
• facultative anaerobic
• Lactose fermenter

Question 2

What is Klebsiella pneumoniae

Answer 2

• Thick capsule
• Mucoid colony
• Habitat:
  
  • soil, water, Intestines of humans and animals, Wood shavings/saw dust, Repro tracts of carrier animals

Question 3

What diseases does K. pneumoniae infections cause?

Answer 3

• Humans:
  
  • Major Nosocomial Pathogen (MDR)
  • ‘ESKAPE’ pathogen
  • Pneumonia, UTI, Meningitis
• Animals:
  
  • Opportunistic pathogen
  • Mastitis - Cows
  • UTI - dogs
  • Vaginitis - dogs
  • Metritis - Mares

Question 4

What are the Antigenic Characteristics of K. pneumoniae?

Answer 4

• O- antigen: LPS, 11 types
• K-antigen: Capsular polysaccharide
  
  • 80+ types
  • K1, K2, etc.

Question 5

What is the mode of infection of K. pneumoniae?

Answer 5

• Direct contact with contaminated materials
• Breeding stallions may become carriers
• Cows: milking machine, bedding, etc.

Question 5

What are the modes of infection for K. pneumoniae?

Answer 5

• Direct contact with contaminated materials
• Breeding stallions may become carriers
• Cows: milking machines, bedding, etc.

Question 6

What are the virulence factors of K. pneumoniae

Answer 6

• Endotoxin
• Capsule
• Urease

Question 7

How is Urease a Virulence Factor?

Answer 7

• Converts Urea to Ammonia and CO₂
  
  • Increases Urine pH
  • Irritates the mucus membranes in the ureters, bladder, and urethra

Question 8

What are the control measures for K. pneumoniae

Answer 8

• Sanitation and management
• Antibiotic treatment
• NO vaccine available

Question 9

What is Klebsiella aerogenes

Answer 9

• Gram negative
• Rods
• Facultatively anaerobic
• Lactose fermenter
• Habitat:
  
  • soil, water, Intestinal tracts of human and animals

Question 10

What diseases does K. aerogenes cause?

Answer 10

• Mastitis - Cows (Coliform)
• UTI - Dog

Question 11

What is Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase (KPC)?

Answer 11

• A type of beta-lactamase
• High mortality because of MDR
• Limited option for treatment: Colistin, tigecycline
• Unwell creatures are more likely to get infected

Question 12

What are the species of Enterobacter?

Answer 12

• E. cloacae
• E. gergoviae
• E. agglomerans
• E. sakazaki:
  
  • Cronobacter sakazaki

Question 13

What is Cronobacter sakazaki?

Answer 13

• Opportunistic and emerging food borne pathogen
• Mainly infants:
  
  • meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis
• Source: contaminated baby formula

Question 14

What is Serratia marcesens

Answer 14

• Gram negative
• Rod shaped
• Facultatively anaerobic
• NON-lactose fermenter
• RED pigmentation

Question 15

What diseases does S. marcescens cause?

Answer 15

• Rarely reported
• Mastitis - cows
• UTI
• Ear infections
• Septicemia - Chickens

Question 16

Why is Bovine Mastitis important?

Answer 16

• Common infectious disease of dairy cows
• Economically significant problem to the dairy industry
• More than 100 microbial species have been isolated from the infected mammary gland
  
  • bacteria, fungi, viruses

Question 17

What are the top 5 causes of Bovine Mastitis

Answer 17

• All bacterial pathogens:
  
  • S. aureus
  • S. glactiae
  • S. dysgalactiae
  • S. uberis
  • E. coli/K. pneumoniae/K. aerogenes (Coliform)

Question 17

What are the top 5 causes of Bovine Mastitis

Answer 17

• All bacterial pathogens:
  
  • S. aureus
  • S. glactiae
  • S. dysgalactiae
  • S. uberis
  • E. coli/K. pneumoniae/K. aerogenes (Coliform)

Question 18

What are the top 5 causes of Bovine Mastitis

Answer 18

• All bacterial pathogens:
  
  • S. aureus
  • S. glactiae
  • S. dysgalactiae
  • S. uberis
  • E. coli/K. pneumoniae/K. aerogenes (Coliform)

Question 19

What are the modes of infection for Bovine Mastitis?

Answer 19

• Via the teat canal
• Exceptions: via blood
  
  • Mycoplasma
  • Brucella

Question 20

How is Bovine Mastitis Catagorized?

Answer 20

• Based on primary reservoir of infection and mode of transmission
  
  • Contagious or environmental
  • Provides a reasonable basis for investigating risk factors and initiating control measures

Question 21

What is Contagious Mastitis?

Answer 21

• Infected mammary glands are primary reservoirs
• S. aureus, S. agalactiae, Mycoplasma bovis are major pathogens
• Transmission occurs from direct contact of infected milk with a teat of an uninfected gland.
• Milking equipment, hands, and towels used to wash/dry teats are also a source
  *

Question 22

How to prevent Contagious Mastitis?

Answer 22

• Postmilking germicidal (iodine-based dips) teat disinfection (post dipping) kills pathogens deposited on the teat skin during the milking process
• Antibiotic treatment of dry cows (dry cow therapy) is an effective way

Question 22

How to prevent Contagious Mastitis?

Answer 22

• Postmilking germicidal (iodine-based dips) teat disinfection (post dipping) kills pathogens deposited on the teat skin during the milking process
• Antibiotic treatment of dry cows (dry cow therapy) is an effective way

Question 23

What is Environmental Mastitis?

Answer 23

• The predominant reservoir is the environment
• Common sources of infection are feces, bedding, soil, and water
• Transmission occurs when teats become contaminated with environmental pathogens between milking or during milking time
• E. coli, K. pneumoniae, K. aerogenes, S. dysgalactiae, S. uberis are causative agents

Question 24

How do you control Environmental mastitis?

Answer 24

• Reduce exposure of teats to environmental pathogens
• Premilking germicidal teat disinfection (pre-dipping)
• Washing the teats with water containing a sanitizing solution
• Keeping the teats clean and dry before attaching milking machines
• Frequent removal of manure from lots
• Limiting access to wet/muddy areas
• Avoiding over stoking
• Appropriately designed stalls
• managing bedding
• Good udder hygiene practices in the milking parlor