Cited 87 times since 2016 (9.2 per year) source: EuropePMC Immunobiology, Volume 221, Issue 10, 16 3 2016, Pages 1102-1109 Complement resistance mechanisms of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Doorduijn DJ, Rooijakkers SH, van Schaik W, Bardoel BW
The current emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria causes major problems in hospitals worldwide. To survive within the host, bacterial pathogens exploit several escape mechanisms to prevent detection and killing by the immune system. As a major player in immune defense, the complement system recognizes and destroys bacteria via different effector mechanisms. The complement system can label bacteria for phagocytosis or directly kill Gram-negative bacteria via insertion of a pore-forming complex in the bacterial membrane. The multi-drug resistant pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae exploits several mechanisms to resist complement. In this review, we present an overview of strategies used by K. pneumoniae to prevent recognition and killing by the complement system. Understanding these complement evasion strategies is crucial for the development of innovative strategies to combat K. pneumoniae.
