Peptides as a therapeutic strategy against Klebsiella pneumoniae

Antibiotic resistance is a major health problem associated with increased mortality rates. Treatment options have been severely diminished by beta-lactamase and carbapenemase producer bacteria. Klebsiella pneumoniae has been identified as a critical pathogen needing new treatments. Combination therapy has been implemented as a way to reach better bactericidal response. Antimicrobial peptides appear as new molecules to overcome bacterial resistance. Increasing levels of resistance to conventional antibiotics have led to a search for new therapeutic options against bacterial infections. Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered a world health problem due to high levels of mortality associated with resistance to multiple antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have showed activity against this bacterium, which makes them a promising alternative in tackling resistance. In this article, we carried out an overview of the recent development of AMPs against K. pneumoniae using different designs and acting by different mechanisms, such as a recently proposed one against capsulated strains. Moreover, we outline AMPs’ therapeutic potential when tested in combination with conventional antibiotics and against biofilms. Furthermore, challenges and perspectives for applying AMPs in clinical practice are discussed here. Increasing levels of resistance to conventional antibiotics have led to a search for new therapeutic options against bacterial infections. Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered a world health problem due to high levels of mortality associated with resistance to multiple antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have showed activity against this bacterium, which makes them a promising alternative in tackling resistance. In this article, we carried out an overview of the recent development of AMPs against K. pneumoniae using different designs and acting by different mechanisms, such as a recently proposed one against capsulated strains. Moreover, we outline AMPs’ therapeutic potential when tested in combination with conventional antibiotics and against biofilms. Furthermore, challenges and perspectives for applying AMPs in clinical practice are discussed here. adaptive response mediated by guanosine nucleotide second messengers that enable bacterial survival under environmental and nutritional stresses. infections caused by bacteria growing in communities enclosed by a defensive extracellular matrix. These infections tend to be of chronic progression, recurrent, and recalcitrant to antibiotic treatment. bacteria that do not retain crystal violet dye during the decolorization step in the Gram staining procedure. These bacteria acquire a red coloration after the counterstain step with safranin dye in the Gram staining procedure. it is defined as the lowest concentration of an antimicrobial that inhibits the visible bacterial growth. bacterial isolates with a similar genotype that are resistant to several antimicrobial classes. unusual bacterial infection that produces necrosis of the muscle fascia and soft tissues.