Phage against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains

Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is an agent responsible for nosocomial infections with high morbidity and mortality around the world. Peru has a greater predominance of Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in hospital reports. Nowadays, lytic Klebsiella bacteriophages represent a choice to treat MDR infections, it is vital to understand their entire biology. In 2023, 72 samples were taken from sewage from the Huatanay River in Cusco to isolate lytic Klebsiella bacteriophages during drought. Then, 50 strains of Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, which came from three hospitals in Cusco, and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC BAA 2814 were confronted. Firstly, lytic capacity evaluation was performed using the drop technique and the double-layer agar method for titration followed by purification and amplification. Furthermore, Biological and physicochemical characterization of bacteriophages, whole genome sequencing, and electronic photography were performed. Lytic activity was observed on 24 samples. However, H22K, H41K, H52K, and H33KII were the best ones, H41K has good resistance to chloroform. Furthermore, they have a good adsorption rate, explosion, and stability. The phage head was icosahedral of 80 nm with a tail, according to the assembly genome belonging to the Caudoviricetes order, Ackermannviridae Family with a myovirus morphology. This first report shows biological and genomic characteristics of phages that could have potential applications in phage therapy for the treatment of Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae .