Bacteriophage efficacy in carbenemase-producing and colistin-resistant K.pneumoniae isolated from immunosuppressive patients

Abstract

AIM: This study investigated effectiveness bacteriophage in Klebsiella pneumoniae with carbapenemase producer and colistin resistant isolated from immunosuppressive patients. BACKGROUND: Interest and research on bacteriophages are increasing because they can be used as an alternative against increasing antibiotic resistance. METHODS: The study included 29 carbapenemase-producing and colistin-resistant K.pneumoniae isolated from blood and tracheal aspirate cultures of immunosuppressive patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit 26.09.2023-27.02.2024. Antibiotic susceptibility testing for colistin was performed by liquid microdilution method. Phage enrichment process was firstly applied to hospital wastewater samples. A double agar method was performed to control whether the phage isolated. The host ranges of the isolated phages and our culture phage isolates were determined using the spot test method. The next day, the planting areas were examined for bacterial growth. RESULTS: Among the K.pneumoniae isolates included in the study, 19 (65.5%) were blood samples and 10 (34.5%) were deep tracheal aspirate samples. Among the isolates included in the study, KPC 2 (6.9%), NDM 1 (3.4%) OXA-48 7 (24.1%) OXA-48 and NDM co-existence was detected in 19 (65.5%) isolates. Three phages were isolated from hospital water. While the host range value of our culture phages was found 21-41%, the efficiency of newly isolated phages was 62.1%. CONCLUSION: Given the host specificity of phages, it is very important to isolate phages with a broad spectrum. It is believed that active phages will be a good alternative to treatment and will be a suitable candidate for use in synergy studies.

Keywords

• bacteriophage
• carbenemase-producing
• colistin-resistant
• K.pneumoniae
• immunosuppressive patients