Tests for Klebsiella

Klebsiella is one many bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract. Confined to the colon, Klebsiella is harmless or even beneficial--it is when it moves to other areas of the body that it can be dangerous or even deadly.



Dr. Adam Brochert states that Klebsiella infections usually occur in people with weakened immune systems and that the most common infection is pneumonia. Klebsiella infections often occur in hospitals, where the bacteria takes advantage of invasive treatments to enter the body. Tests for Klebsiella take into account where the bacteria is believed to have entered the patient.

Sputum Sample

• If it is believed that Klebsiella is in the lungs or respiratory system, a sputum sample can be obtained for a Gram stain. Obiamiwe Umeh, a Fellow at the Center for AIDS Research and Education at UCLA, says that Klebsiella appears as short, plump, gram-negative bacilli.

Urine Sample or Wound Swab

• Klebsiella can be isolated from urine samples. It can also be isolated from swabs of wounds or from around the entrance sites of invasive treatment tools like intravenous catheters or breathing tubes. By culturing such samples, doctors can identify Klebsiella.

Chest Radiography

• When looking at a chest x-ray for Klebsiella, the bacteria usually is in the upper lobes of the lungs, though it is also sometimes seen in the lower lobes. Lobes infected with Klebsiella typically appear swollen, producing the bulging fissure sign. This is not a definite sign of Klebsiella though, as other organisms can cause the same symptoms.