Epidemiology and Antibiotic Resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections in Saudi Long-Term Care Facility: A Comparison Study

Badriah A Alfaifi¹, Saleh A AlKhaldi²*, Majed D Alanazi³, Wadi A Shuraim¹, Masoud A Aldossry¹, Hanan S Alzahrani¹, Fatoom A Alhaitei¹ and Kholoud A Alhomoud¹

¹Infection Control Department, Long Term Care Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
²Research Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
³Internal Medicine, Long Term Care Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding Author: Saleh A AlKhaldi, Research Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Received: July 28, 2025; Published: September 24, 2025

Abstract

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen commonly found in the normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract. It can lead to severe healthcare-associated infections, particularly among immunocompromised individuals and those in long-term care settings. This study examined the epidemiology of K. pneumoniae infections and compared antibiotic resistance patterns (males vs. females) in long-term care hospital in Riyadh, SA.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study compared microbial culture data from 56 inpatients (29 males and 27 females) with confirmed K. pneumoniae infections. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, culture sites, and antibiotic susceptibility test results. Statistical analyses explored associations between patient characteristics and resistance patterns, focusing on carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing strains.

Results: Around 51.8% of the K. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to carbapenems, and 35.7% were classified as ESBL producers. Patients with tracheostomies exhibited a higher prevalence of CRE infections (35.7%) compared to those without tracheostomies (16.1%, p = 0.431). Similarly, patients with bedsores showed a slightly higher prevalence of CRE infections (28.6%) than those without (23.2%, p = 0.184). Resistance levels against commonly used antibiotics were high for cotrimoxazole (64.3%), ciprofloxacin (33.9%), and gentamicin (39.3%). In contrast, imipenem and meropenem showed relatively higher susceptibility rates, with 50.0% and 37.5%, respectively.

Conclusion: Significant prevalence of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae infections, with CRE and ESBL strains posing substantial challenges. These findings emphasize the need for improved infection control measures and robust antibiotic stewardship programs. Future studies should include molecular analyses and broader patient populations to understand resistance mechanisms further and inform treatment strategies.

 Keywords: Antibiotic Resistance; Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales; Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases; Klebsiella pneumoniae

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Citation

Citation: Saleh A AlKhaldi., et al. “Epidemiology and Antibiotic Resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections in Saudi Long-Term Care Facility: A Comparison Study”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 9.10 (2025): 69-76.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Saleh A AlKhaldi., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.