Title:
"Defining the Genetic Factors Required for Gastrointestinal Colonization Across Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains"
Bettina Cheung, Graduate Student, DGP, Lab of Alan Hauser MD, PhD
Faculty Host: Alan Hauser, MD, PHD
Topic:
As a leading cause of nosocomial infections, Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a significant clinical threat due to its propensity to acquire resistance to many classes of antibiotics, including carbapenems. Gastrointestinal colonization by K. pneumoniae is a risk factor for subsequent infection as well as transmission to other patients. To study this crucial step in pathogenesis, we developed a mouse model of K. pneumoniae GI colonization using a clinically relevant parenteral antibiotic regimen. As K. pneumoniae has a rich accessory genome (genetic material not shared by all strains), we will use this animal model to perform high-throughput screens of a variety of phylogenetically distinct strains to define the genetic factors required for GI colonization in K. pneumoniae.