Global burden of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections and antimicrobial resistance in 2019
Hui-Wen Song, Yong Lin, Tu-Er Wan, Guihua Yang, Mei-Ting Jiang, Bin-Hong Fu, Jin‐Shui Pan
Abstract
PURPOSE: To conduct an extensive analysis of the global burden of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) using data from 2019, encompassing international, regional, and national perspectives. METHODS: The methodology employed in this study involved collecting data on K. pneumoniae infections and AMR from two reputable sources: the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019 and the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance 2019 study. The analysis was based on a vast compilation of 471 million records, which informed eight distinct modeling components. RESULTS: K. pneumoniae infections have resulted in approximately 800,000 deaths worldwide, with 80% associated with AMR. Notably, lower respiratory tract infections, bloodstream infections, and intra-abdominal infections were identified as the primary infections caused by K. pneumoniae, accounting for nearly 90% of K. pneumoniae-related deaths and exhibiting the highest age-standardized mortality rates. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa showed the greatest incidence of fatalities linked to K. pneumoniae infections, with the latter region additionally displaying the highest number and rate of deaths associated with antimicrobial-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP-AMR). The mortality attributed to KP-AMR was predominantly caused by resistance to carbapenems and third-generation cephalosporins, accounting for more than 50% of the reported deaths. CONCLUSIONS: K. pneumoniae infections and antimicrobial resistance significantly impact sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, underscoring an urgent need for targeted interventions.