Community-acquired invasive liver abscess syndrome caused by a K1 serotype Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate in Brazil: a case report of hypervirulent ST23

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) strains can cause invasive liver abscess syndrome, which is characterised by liver abscess with extrahepatic complications including central nervous system involvement, necrotising fasciitis or endophthalmitis (Siu et al. 2012). hvKP was first reported in Taiwan in 1985 and, since then, infections caused by hvKP have been described in several parts of the world, with many cases reported in Southeast Asia (Li et al. 2014). In the Americas, invasive liver abscess syndrome has been reported in the United States of America, Canada and Argentina (Siu et al. 2012). However, this strain has not been previously reported in Brazil. Recently, a 57-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus was admitted to the emergency department with a history of fever, nausea, vomiting and mental confusion for five days. On the day of admission, she was comatose, icteric and had a poor general appearance. Her temperature was 37.8°C and her blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate were 110/60 mmHg, 96 beats/min and 48 breaths/min, respectively. Respiratory and cardiovascular auscultations were normal; however, a neurological examination revealed neck rigidity. Bacterial meningitis was suspected and ceftriaxone 2 g IV q12 h was empirically prescribed after performing a diagnostic lumbar puncture. Her cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was xanthochromic and showed glucose 0.0 mg/dL, protein 485 mg/dL and 8,640 cells/mm3 (8,121 neutrophils/ mm3 and 259 lymphocytes/mm3). Direct examination