But klebsiella pneumoniae can be dangerous if they get into other parts of your body, especially if you're already sick. They can turn into “ ...MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesVideoNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersWebMDRxSavingsCardCoronavirus(COVID-19)CBDOilKetoDietHepatitisCDiabetesWarningSignsRheumatoidArthritisMorning-AfterPillBreastCancerScreeningPsoriaticArthritisSymptomsHeartFailureMultipleMyelomaTypesofCrohn'sDiseaseAtoZGuidesReferenceMenuReviewedbyCarolDerSarkissianonFebruary08,2020InthisArticleWhoGetsIt?HowDoYouCatchIt?SymptomsTreatmentPreventionThesecommonbacteriaareusuallyharmless.Theyoftenliveinyourintestineswithoutgivingyouanyproblem.Butklebsiellapneumoniaecanbedangerousiftheygetintootherpartsofyourbody,especiallyifyou’realreadysick.Theycanturninto“superbugs”thatarealmostimpossibletofightwithcommonantibiotics.Thegermscangiveyoupneumonia,infectyourwoundorblood,andcauseotherseriousproblems.WhoGetsIt?Infectionsarerareinhealthypeoplebecausetheirimmunesystemsarestrongenoughtofendoffthegerms.Butinfectionsaremorelikelyifyouhavehealthproblemslike:AlcoholismCancerDiabetesKidneyfailureLiverdiseaseLungdiseaseTakingcertainantibioticsforalongtimeorothertreatmentsalsocanraiseyourchancesforaklebsiellainfection.HowDoYouCatchIt?Thesegermsdon’tspreadthroughtheair.Youneeddirectcontacttogetsick.Onewaywouldbetotouchacutonyourskinwithdirtyhands.Mostinfectionshappeninhospitals,nursinghomes,andotherplaceswithlotsofsickpeople.Thegermscanalsospreadwhentheygetonmedicaldeviceslike:IVcatheters,tubesthatgointoaveintogivemedicinesEndotrachealtubesandventilators,whichhelpyoubreatheUrinarycatheters,whichdrainurineawaySymptomsTheydependonwheretheinfectionis.Forexample,ifthebacteriagivesyoupneumonia,youmayhave:FeverCoughChestpainTroublebreathingMoremucus,whichmaybethickandbloodyKlebsiellapneumoniaecanhitotherpartsofyourbody,too.Forexample,yoursurgicalwoundcouldbeinfected.Youcouldalsogetaninfectioninyour:Blood(bacteremiaorsepticemia)Brain(meningitis)Heart(endo