A woman got a UTI. Two years later, the bacteria had evolved, invaded her brain.
Summary
A 63-year-old woman developed a severe brain infection linked to bacteria that first caused a urinary tract infection (UTI). Doctors found that the bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae, had changed over two years inside her body, becoming sticky and more dangerous before invading her brain.Key Facts
- The woman lost vision in her right eye and had brain inflammation and lesions in the parietal lobe.
- Tests showed she had a brain abscess and infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.
- Two urine samples and a brain biopsy all contained the same type of bacteria.
- The bacteria changed from normal to sticky and gooey, making them harder for the immune system to attack.
- The sticky bacteria are called hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, known to spread to organs like the brain.
- Genetic analysis showed these bacteria evolved inside the woman and developed mutations causing the sticky capsule.
- The hypervirulent bacteria grew slower and were less able to infect the bladder.
- Scientists confirmed the mutations by recreating the sticky bacteria in the lab.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
