BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae,
the use of antibacterial potential of bacteriophages has been considered as an effective approach
in controlling the infections.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
After isolating lytic bacteriophage (PKpMa1/19) against K.pneumoniae PTCC1290 by agar
bilayer method, purification, titration and enrichment of the bacteriophage were performed.
Morphological characteristics of PKpMa1/19 were determined using electron microscopy. One
step growth, latent period, burst size and lytic activity of the phage in different environmental
conditions (temperature, pH, UV and Chloroform) were determined. In the next step, host range
of the bacteriophage was evaluated against different clinical isolates from clinical infections
using spot test.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Bacteriophage belonging to Tectiviridae family was isolated and purified. Its latent period and
burst size were 20-25 min and 311 PFU, respectively. Appropriate lytic effect of the
bacteriophage was shown between -22 and 37 ℃. Stability of the phage was high in pH= 4-10.
Chloroform had no effect on viability of the phage. The phage (PKpMa1/19), was effective
against one of the 20 clinical isolates of K.pneumoniae, but it showed antibacterial effect on 10
Pseudomonas aeroginosa and 16 Staphylococcus aureus isolates.
CONCLUSION
Phage therapy could be a natural biologic approach against clinical isolates of bacteria in
nosocomial infections, but evaluation of antibacterial effects of candidate phage(s) against
causative bacterial isolates and determining their characteristics is essential for therapeutic
application.