Effect of nonthermal plasma on DNA integrity of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

A highly resistant to drug pathogens causing epidemics in healthcare facilities and everyday life is Klebsiella pneumoniae. The purpose of this research is to investigate the susceptibility of K. pneumoniae that was isolated from a few Baghdad City hospitals and to examine the potential of nonthermal plasma to eliminate bacteria and induce changes in genomic DNA, extracted from K. pneumoniae in a time-dependent manner. Plasma-induced DNA damage was examined using a comet assay and agarose gel electrophoresis methods. The sensitivity of each isolate to 9 antibiotics was established using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Among K. pneumoniae isolates tested, 93% were resistant to imipenem, 97% to piperacillin, 87% to ceftazidime, and 70% to gentamicin. All isolates were prone to penicillin, specifically piperacillin at 97%. Patients with K. pneumoniae infections continue to see an increase in antibiotic resistance, which is most likely related to a rise in antibiotic incorrect use, abuse, and harm, which is particularly common in young people. Because it will help choose the right empirical antibiotic treatment in the right situation, it is crucial to continuously monitor antibiotic resistance. The antibacterial activity of nonthermal plasma (NTP) indicated that the colonies decreased with treatment time. The comet assay and agarose gel electrophoresis results indicated that DNA degradation was significantly increased. The results suggest that NTP technology is a decontamination strategy to reduce carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. Furthermore, the DNA damage induced by NTP has shown promising advantages in several applications, like cancer therapy and sterilization.