A comparative analysis of pediatric <i>Klebsiella oxytoca</i> and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> bacteremia: clinical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility, and outcomes

OBJECTIVES: bacteraemia in hospitalised children. METHODS: between January 2018 and December 2024. RESULTS: demonstrated higher overall susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics. Rates of sepsis or septic shock, paediatric intensive care unit admission, and 30-day mortality did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: bacteraemia was more frequently community-onset, associated with gastrointestinal comorbidities or prior abdominal surgery, and caused by more susceptible isolates. These findings underscore the importance of accurate species identification and have direct implications for empirical antibiotic selection, supporting antimicrobial stewardship strategies in paediatric bacteraemia.