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A novel bacteriophage capable of efficiently lysing multi-drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

Haipeng Zhang1, Qianwen Cheng2, Xiaohong Nie3

  • 1Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Epidemic Diseases Prevention and Control Technology, Yunnan Institute of Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Dali, China.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|August 20, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

A novel phage, vB_KpnD_A2, effectively targets multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, offering a promising phage therapy candidate. This phage demonstrates broad lytic activity and favorable safety characteristics for combating carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) poses a significant clinical threat due to increasing antimicrobial resistance.
  • Phage therapy is a potential alternative for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, but requires effective therapeutic phages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate, characterize, and evaluate a novel Klebsiella pneumoniae phage for its therapeutic potential against CRKP.
  • To assess the biological properties, genomic features, and biosafety of the newly identified phage.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and purification of a novel Klebsiella pneumoniae phage from hospital wastewater.
  • Evaluation of host range, lytic activity, and biological characteristics (MOI, growth curve, stability).
  • Transmission electron microscopy for morphology and whole-genome sequencing for genomic analysis.

Main Results:

  • The novel phage vB_KpnD_A2 demonstrated potent lytic activity against 57.1% of CRKP and 63.6% of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.
  • vB_KpnD_A2 exhibited optimal biological properties, including a latent period of 40 min and burst size of 8.6×10⁴ PFU/cell, with stability across a wide temperature and pH range.
  • Genomic analysis confirmed vB_KpnD_A2 as a strictly lytic Webervirus, lacking antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors, or lysogeny-associated genes.

Conclusions:

  • The characterized phage vB_KpnD_A2 shows significant potential as a therapeutic agent against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.
  • Its favorable genomic safety and environmental stability support its use in phage-based interventions for CRKP control.
Keywords:
Klebsiella pneumoniaebiological characteristicsgenome analysismulti-drug resistancevirulent bacteriophage

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