Serotype of Klebsiella pneumoniae Environmental Strain and Its Pathogenicity to Maize

PurposeTo detect the pathogenicity of Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) environmental strain on maize and its correlation with common hospital serotypes.

Methods Klebsiella genus bacteria were isolated from surface water and soil samples from the environment through Klebsiella separation medium (MacConkey inositol adonitol carbenicillin agar, MIAC). KP strain was further identified by Gram staining, morphology observation, physiological and biochemical identification, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The serotype gene bands of common KP in hospital were amplified by PCR. The pathogenicity of the environmental KP strain to maize was detected by routine inoculation.

ResultK. pneumoniae E23 isolated from the soil surface of strawberry was not a common hospital serotype, but could cause the typical symptoms of maize top rot under artificial inoculation.

ConclusionK. pneumoniae from different sources has the ability to cause the disease of susceptible hosts. It lays the foundation for the study of the mechanism of cross-kingdom infection of K. pneumoniae.