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Genomic and functional characterization of a lytic Klebsiella phage UHKP with antibiofilm activity

Muhammad Hassan1, Iqbal Ahmad Alvi2,3, Sadiq Noor Khan1

  • 1Department of Medical Lab Technology, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|March 18, 2026
PubMed

Insights

A novel bacteriophage, UHKP, effectively combats multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilms. This phage shows promise for treating hospital-acquired infections caused by this opportunistic pathogen.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections.
  • Multidrug resistance and biofilm formation in K. pneumoniae complicate treatment.
  • Bacteriophage therapy is a potential alternative to antibiotics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize a bacteriophage effective against multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of the isolated phage against planktonic and biofilm forms of K. pneumoniae.
  • To determine the genomic and morphological properties of the novel phage.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of bacteriophage UHKP from hospital sewage using a multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strain.
  • Host-range determination, plaque assays, and one-step growth analysis.
  • Transmission electron microscopy and whole-genome sequencing.
  • Assessment of lytic activity against planktonic and biofilm cultures.

Main Results:

  • Phage UHKP demonstrated lytic activity against four multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae clinical isolates and one K-17 serotype.
  • UHKP exhibited a latent period of 30 minutes and a burst size of 85 PFU.
  • The phage eradicated significant amounts of 24-h and 48-h K. pneumoniae biofilms (98% and 96% respectively) at MOI 1.
  • Genome analysis revealed a 62,542 bp dsDNA genome encoding 77 ORFs, placing UHKP in the Lastavirus genus, with no identified lysogeny, toxin, or antibiotic-resistance genes.

Conclusions:

  • Phage UHKP is a potent lytic bacteriophage with specific activity against certain multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strains.
  • UHKP demonstrates significant efficacy in eradicating established K. pneumoniae biofilms.
  • The characterized phage UHKP represents a promising candidate for phage therapy against K. pneumoniae infections.
Keywords:
Klebsiella pneumoniaeUHKPbacteriophage therapybiofilm disruptiongenomic characterizationmultidrug resistance

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