Global burden of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections and antimicrobial resistance in 2019

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. 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. 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. K. pneumoniae infections and antimicrobial resistance significantly impact sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, underscoring an urgent need for targeted interventions.