Bacterium
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Encapsulated lactose-fermenting rod
kleb-see-EL-uh noo-MOH-nee-eye
High-yield clue
Lactose-fermenting Gram-negative rod + capsule/mucoid vocabulary.
Overview
An encapsulated Enterobacterales organism used to teach mucoid colony vocabulary, lactose fermentation, and ESBL/CRE resistance concepts.
Classification
- Gram-negative
- Rod
- Enterobacterales
- Lactose fermenter
Lab & identification clues
- MacConkey lactose-fermenter vocabulary
- Capsule concept
- Urease-positive teaching contrast
Associations
- Pneumonia vocabulary
- UTI coursework association
- ESBL and CRE resistance framing
Commonly confused with
- Escherichia coli
- Proteus mirabilis
Frequently asked questions
What is Klebsiella pneumoniae?
An encapsulated Enterobacterales organism used to teach mucoid colony vocabulary, lactose fermentation, and ESBL/CRE resistance concepts.
What is the Gram stain of Klebsiella pneumoniae?
Klebsiella pneumoniae is Gram negative.
What are the lab clues for Klebsiella pneumoniae?
Lab clues for Klebsiella pneumoniae include MacConkey lactose-fermenter vocabulary, Capsule concept, and Urease-positive teaching contrast.
What is Klebsiella pneumoniae commonly confused with?
Klebsiella pneumoniae is commonly confused with Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis.
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.