How Klebsiella bacteria colonize the gut
Mechanisms of Klebsiella pneumoniae gastrointestinal colonization
Researchers are learning how Klebsiella bacteria live and spread in the intestines so people at risk for hospital-acquired, drug-resistant infections might avoid future colonization.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11329677 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses a mouse model that mimics how Klebsiella pneumoniae can silently live in the mouth and gut and be passed via the fecal-oral route. The team gives the bacteria orally, measures fecal shedding as a sign of gut colonization, and watches how the gut microbiome changes. They screen a large library of bacterial mutants to find specific Klebsiella genes that let the bug persist in the gut. The goal is to identify bacterial targets that could be blocked to prevent colonization and reduce later infections in patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People most relevant to this research include those at higher risk of Klebsiella colonization such as recent hospital patients, people with extensive antibiotic exposure, or immunocompromised individuals.
Not a fit: Healthy people with no recent healthcare exposure or antibiotic use are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to prevent gut colonization and lower the risk of drug-resistant Klebsiella infections in patients.
How similar studies have performed: Similar animal-model and genetic-screening approaches have identified colonization factors for other gut bacteria, but applying this full genetic In-seq screen to Klebsiella is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zafar, Muhammad Ammar — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Zafar, Muhammad Ammar
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.