Abstract

KLEBSIELLA OZAENAE is a nonmotile, aerobic, encapsulated, gram-negative rod named for its association with ozena, a chronic atrophic rhinitis, even though its etiologic role in this condition is conjectural. Its significance as a human pathogen is unclear, though it has been increasingly implicated as a low virulence opportunist. K ozaenae is a rare isolate in cases of bacteremia and soft tissue or urinary tract infections, Klebsiella pneumomiae being more than a hundredfold more commonly identified. When identified, the majority of K ozaenae isolates have been from the respiratory tract and considered colonizers.We report the first published case of community acquired cryptogenic hepatic abscess with pulmonary emboli associated with K ozaenae bacteremia in a previously healthy patient. We then review the literature on the organism's role as a human pathogen.