Prevalence and characteristics of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from pediatric inpatients with respiratory tract infections at a teaching hospital in China

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in the pediatric setting in China. A total of 201 non-duplicate K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained from 432 pediatric inpatients suffering from respiratory tract infections. One hundred and thirty-eight K. pneumoniae isolates were determined to be extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producers. Of all ESBL-producing isolates, 138 (100%) were resistant to piperacillin, ampicillin, cefazolin, and aztreonam, 136 (98.4%) to cefuroxime, 126 (91.2%) to ceftriaxone and co-trimoxazole, 120 (87.4%) to cefoperazone, 91 (65.8%) to ceftazidime, 78 (56.5%) to gentamicin, and 72 (52.4%) to cefepime. TEM was the main type of beta-lactamase among ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae, followed by SHV and CTX-M-1. Of the 30 isolates harboring CTX-M-producers, 53.3% co-produced TEM, 36.7% co-produced SHV, and the remaining isolates co-produced SHV and TEM. The data show that there is a high prevalence of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae infections among pediatric inpatients in the region.