K. grimontii and K. michiganensis as donor or recipient organism

At Klebsiella grimontii and K. michiganensis These are bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae . Both bacterial species are Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, and capsule-forming. The bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment and play a role as **causative agents of nosocomial infections.**

K. grimontii occurs on the skin and intestines of healthy individuals, as well as in wastewater, soil, dust aerosols, and on plants. The bacterium is associated with bacteremia, diabetic foot syndrome, hemorrhagic colitis, urinary tract infections, sepsis, and wound infections. Transmission of K. grimontii occurs via airborne transmission or direct and indirect contact. In addition to various Antibiotic resistance strains of the pathogen possess different virulence and fitness factors. Commensal isolates possess the same Virulence and fitness factors like pathogenic strains and often represent the starting point for opportunistic infections.

K. michiganensis has a growth optimum at 35 °C and a pH optimum of approximately 7. The bacterium is a widespread pathogen that occurs on the skin, pharyngeal mucosa, and intestines of healthy humans, as well as in wastewater, aquaculture, soil, water, the rhizosphere, plants, insects, and mammals. Regardless of the immune status of the patient, the bacterium is associated with bacteremia, diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, intra-abdominal infections, meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, and wound infections. In addition, two undefined Infections in horses with K. michiganensis known. The pathogen is transmitted via airborne pathogens or direct and indirect contact. Also to K. michiganensis There are reports of resistance to various antibiotics (e.g., from the β-lactam, macrolide, peptide, sulfonamide, and tetracycline groups). As with K. grimontii, the pathogenicity of K. michiganensis is based on the presence of various virulence and fitness factors, which are detectable in both commensal isolates and pathogenic strains of the pathogen and often represent the starting point for opportunistic infections. However, individual isolates without chromosomally or plasmid-encoded pathogenicity islands have also been identified. K. michiganensis is also a plant pathogen and is considered the causative agent of white mulberry wilt disease.

Both bacterial species are assigned to risk group 2 in TRBA 466 “Classification of prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea)”.

In its current statement, the ZKBS classifies K. grimontii and K. michiganensis according to Section 5 Paragraph 1 GenTSV in conjunction with the criteria in Annex 1 GenTSV as donor and recipient organisms for genetic engineering work in the Risk group 2 The justification states that K. grimontii and K. michiganensis are widespread pathogens that can cause serious illness even in people with healthy immune systems. K. michiganensis can also be pathogenic for horses.

The current ZKBS statement on K. grimontii and K. michiganensis can be found at File number 45241.0238 can be retrieved.