Klebsiella pneumoniae is ubiquitous in animals, humans, and the environment, facilitating the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence traits. Most studies are primarily focused on human clinical isolates, leaving critical gaps in understanding non-human reservoirs and cross-species transmission risks. We combined large-scale genomic analyses with in vitro and in vivo infection models to characterize the evolutionary dynamics of 2809 K. pneumoniae isolates sourced from 8 host species across 57 countries. We examined the potential for cross-host transmission of K. pneumoniae, explored its AMR and virulence characteristics across different hosts, and evaluated the temporal evolution of AMR and virulence. Here, we demonstrate that the rise in AMR strongly correlates with the global expansion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) sequence types, while the increase in virulence is partially driven by the acquisition of key virulence loci in certain MDR clones. Population structure analyses show no distinct genetic boundaries between human- and animal-derived strains, strengthening the evidence for cross-species transmission potential. These findings underscore the urgent need for a One Health approach to address the dual threat of AMR and hypervirulence, providing critical insights to guide global surveillance and public health interventions. Klebsiella pneumoniae is a bacterium that can be found in different hosts, including livestock, humans and the environment. They can develop antibiotic resistance (making medicines less effective) and make infections harder to treat. Past studies mainly focused on bacterial strains that infect humans, leaving a knowledge gap about their presence in animals or whether they can spread between animals and humans. Here, we studied over 2800 bacterial strains from 8 hosts (including cows, pigs, and humans) across 57 countries, examining how they change, spread, and become more harmful. We found that antibiotic-resistant strains are spreading globally, fueling resistance. Some antibiotic-resistant bacteria acquire genes that render them more infectious. We also found that K. pneumoniae strains found in humans and animals are genetically similar, suggesting potential for cross-host transmission. This calls for careful surveillance of K. pneumoniae strains to prevent crossover. Huang, Yao et al. analyse Klebsiella pneumoniae genomes originating from human, animal, and environmental sources across the globe, demonstrating overlapping populations and increasing antibiotic resistance. The rise of strains with both high virulence and multidrug resistance calls for coordinated One Health surveillance.
Huang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.