College of Science, Kirkuk University discussed a master dissertation on the phenotypic and genetic characterization of the highly virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterium isolated from clinical samples in hospitals in the city of Kirkuk by postgraduate student, Mrs. Fatima Artan Haseeb.

The dissertation aimed at isolating and diagnosing of highly pathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae from patients visiting Kirkuk civil hospitals of different ages and for both sexes and studying of some virulence factors such as measuring viscosity via using a String test, capsule and siderophore production and resistance to tellurite.

The dissertation demonstrated that between 23 and 33 percent of the isolates were positive for the String test and produced large quantities of capsular polysaccharide, produced Siderophore, were resistant to tellurite and produced biofilm.

The dissertation concluded that most of the bacterial isolates were resistant to more than three groups of antibiotics, as the rate of infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae within the age group of 20-40 years was 20% higher among females than males.