Comparative Aerosol Persistence of Hypermucoid Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae is becoming an increasing cause for concern due to antibiotic resistance and emerging hypervirulent strains. It results in a wide variety of infections, most commonly pneumonia. Immunocompromised individuals and those needing ventilators are among the most at-risk for infection and systemic spread. It is crucial to further understand the behavior of K. pneumoniae to prevent future infections and severe illness. In the past, little research has examined K. pneumoniae in the air to determine whether aerosol transmission is a realistic infection pathway. Therefore, we observed survival of K. pneumoniae suspensions using a 10.7 L custom-built rotating chamber, characterizing laboratory and clinical strains in separate aerosol events. Airborne bacterial suspensions were assessed by culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The K2 laboratory strain remained viable until yielding no colony forming units (CFU) at 16 hours. K1 clinical strain did not become unculturable until 32 hours. For each strain, qPCR data showed Ct values slightly increased as time in drum also increased. Our data suggests K. pneumoniae can survive after multiple hours in the air, indicating aerosol transmission of K. pneumoniae is a possible infection pathway.