Dataset for manuscript D'Angelo et al
The extracellular capsule is a virulence factor present in many facultative pathogens, whose role in antimicrobial resistance remains controversial. To shed light on this debate, we tested six antibiotics on four strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex. Non-capsulated strains exhibited increased tolerance to polymyxins, but not to other antibiotics, as measured by MIC. Our results urge caution on the use of therapeutic agents that target the capsule and may result in selection for its inactivation.
The extracellular capsule is a virulence factor present in many facultative pathogens, whose role in antimicrobial resistance remains controversial. To shed light on this debate, we tested six antibiotics on four strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex. Non-capsulated strains exhibited increased tolerance to polymyxins, but not to other antibiotics, as measured by MIC. Our results urge caution on the use of therapeutic agents that target the capsule and may result in selection for its inactivation.