Under-diagnosed hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae in Latin America: a hidden threat? single-center case series, Bogota, Colombia

<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (Kp) has traditionally been associated with nosocomial infections and antimicrobial resistance. In recent decades, a Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (hvKp) is an evolving pathotype of <i>K. pneumoniae</i> with enhanced virulence compared with classical strains. hvKp causes severe, invasive infections, including liver abscesses and metastatic disease, in otherwise healthy individuals. It is associated with enhanced capsule production and siderophore systems such as aerobactin, contributing to its pathogenicity. capable of causing severe community-acquired invasive infections has emerged, yet data from Latin America remain scarce. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of adult patients with Kp bacteremia and confirmed deep-seated infections at a tertiary-care hospital in Colombia between 2016 and 2025. Due to limited availability of phenotypic and molecular virulence testing, cases were classified as infections clinically compatible with suspected hvKp. A total of 16 cases met the inclusion criteria. Most infections were community-acquired (87.5%) and occurred predominantly in men (62.5%). Hepatic abscess was the most frequent presentation (68.8%). Most isolates showed a wild-type antimicrobial susceptibility profile (87.5%), whereas two exhibited acquired resistance mechanisms. These findings suggest regional circulation and underdiagnosis of suspected hvKp. The identification of one hypermucoviscous carbapenem-resistant isolate highlights the need for strengthened microbiological and genomic surveillance.