Review of bacteriophage therapy for Klebsiella pneumoniae infection

Abstract:

With the evolution of bacteria and the overuse of certain antibiotics, drug-resistant bacterial infections have emerged as a major public health challenge in the 21st century. Klebsiella pneumoniae, in particular, has aroused wide concern due to its drug-resistant nature. Bacteriophages have demonstrated the potential and advantages in treating bacterial infections caused by drug-resistant strains, while there are no clinical guidelines for phage therapy. Notably, even though a few successful cases of bacteriophage therapy have been documented in the treatment of K. pneumoniae infections, bacteriophages are used in combination with antibiotics in most cases and the role bacteriophages play remains unclear. This article provides an overview of bacteriophage therapies for K. pneumoniae infections, including their characteristics and the factors influencing their efficacy. We compiled and analyzed data from available studies, with the intention of offering valuable insights for the application of bacteriophage therapy in combating K. pneumoniae and other drug-resistant bacteria.