Clinical and laboratory insights into the threat of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae.

• HvKP prevalence in hospital-acquired infections is notably rising, accompanied by worrisome antibiotic sensitivity decline. • Early identification of hvKP is crucial for timely infection control. • Combining genetic markers and virulence phenotype assays is essential for accurate hvKP assessment. • Exploring alternative treatment strategies, such as phage therapy, is necessary to address escalating hvKP antibiotic resistance. Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) typically causes severe invasive infections affecting multiple sites in healthy individuals. In the past, hvKP was characterized by a hypermucoviscosity phenotype, susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, and its tendency to cause invasive infections in healthy individuals within the community. However, there has been an alarming increase in reports of multidrug-resistant hvKP, particularly carbapenem-resistant strains, causing nosocomial infections in critically ill or immunocompromised patients. This presents a significant challenge for clinical treatment. Early identification of hvKP is crucial for timely infection control. Notably, identifying hvKP has become confusing due to its prevalence in nosocomial settings and the limited predictive specificity of the hypermucoviscosity phenotype. Novel virulence predictors for hvKP have been discovered through animal models or machine learning algorithms, while standardization of identification criteria is still necessary. Timely source control and antibiotic therapy have been widely employed for the treatment of hvKP infections. Additionally, phage therapy is a promising alternative approach due to escalating antibiotic resistance. In summary, this narrative review highlights the latest research progress in the development, virulence factors, identification, epidemiology of hvKP, and treatment options available for hvKP infection. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]