[1] It has primarily been isolated from soil and water samples,[2] but rarely from humans.

Studies have estimated fewer than 1% of healthy people harbor this species.

[3] This species has rarely been shown to cause disease[4] in humans despite expressing many of the virulence factors expressed by other Klebsiella species such as Klebsiella pneumoniae.

[5] Phylogenic comparisons between the 16s rRNA and rpoB genes of this and other Klebsiella species have suggested classification into a newer genus, Raoultella,[1] a reclassification that has been adopted.

In culture, R. terrigena was shown to convert melamine to cyanuric acid directly.