"They were all less than a month old and quite a number of them were premature, which made them more susceptible," said Dr Mandla Mhlongo, general manager of health services in the eThekwini municipality.

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Klebsiella facts
Klebsiella is a genus of Gram-negative, rodlike, non-motile bacteria found in the respiratory, intestinal, and urinogenital tracts of animals and humans.

K. pneumoniae are a frequent cause of pneumonia and other respiratory and burn-wound infections in hospitals.

Pneumonias that are caused by K. pneumoniae are difficult to control and mortality rates have even been reported as up to 50% after antibiotic treatment. People at high risk of getting this are middle-aged to older men with alcoholism, diabetes, or chronic bronchopulmonary disease.

Symptoms of K. pneumoniae infection include fever, chills, the coughing up of blood and chest pains.

Other possible infections
The species K. oxytoca is associated with human urinary tract infections.

Klebsiella infections are encountered far more often now than in the past. This is probably due to the bacterium's antibiotic-resistance properties, experts believe. – (Sapa, Health24)
 

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