A secret killer: The synergistic effects of Klebsiella pneumoniae antimicrobial to fight antibiotic resistance
Abstract
By 2050, according to the World Health Organization, the world is expected to face an antibiotic resistance crisis, meaning that antibiotic treatments the world has relied on for nearly a century will become null. Antibiotic resistance has emerged from overuse and misuse that has allowed bacteria to evolve to a level where antibiotics can no longer inhibit their growth. Pneumonia and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are inflammatory diseases in the respiratory and urinary systems, respectively, caused by bacteria or fungi, and the treatment protocol for decades has been antibiotics. With the rise in antibiotic resistance, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in these specific diseases has risen alongside it. One particular strain of bacteria known for causing pneumonia and UTIs is Klebsiella pneumoniae. A specific strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae (known commonly as KP13) has been found to secrete an antimicrobial that inhibits the growth and spread of other species in the same Enterobacteriaceae family, such as Citrobacter fruendii, which is used in this experiment. The purpose of this project is to find the synergistic effects of the secreted antimicrobial and a commonly prescribed antibiotic, Kanamycin, in inhibiting Citrobacter fruendii. The procedure for this project included using the secreted antimicrobial of KP13 in cell-free supernatant (CFS) form alongside varying concentrations of Kanamycin in bacteriological assays to find the synergistic concentration of the two that maximized inhibition. As this project continues, the goal is to discover how KP13 secretes this antimicrobial, why some strains are immune and others are not, and the therapeutic potential of this antimicrobial for the looming threat of antibacterial resistance.
Start Time
15-4-2026 9:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 12:00 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
34
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Subtype
Posters - Competitive
Presentation Category
Health
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Faculty Mentor
Sean Fox
A secret killer: The synergistic effects of Klebsiella pneumoniae antimicrobial to fight antibiotic resistance
Culp Ballroom 316
By 2050, according to the World Health Organization, the world is expected to face an antibiotic resistance crisis, meaning that antibiotic treatments the world has relied on for nearly a century will become null. Antibiotic resistance has emerged from overuse and misuse that has allowed bacteria to evolve to a level where antibiotics can no longer inhibit their growth. Pneumonia and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are inflammatory diseases in the respiratory and urinary systems, respectively, caused by bacteria or fungi, and the treatment protocol for decades has been antibiotics. With the rise in antibiotic resistance, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in these specific diseases has risen alongside it. One particular strain of bacteria known for causing pneumonia and UTIs is Klebsiella pneumoniae. A specific strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae (known commonly as KP13) has been found to secrete an antimicrobial that inhibits the growth and spread of other species in the same Enterobacteriaceae family, such as Citrobacter fruendii, which is used in this experiment. The purpose of this project is to find the synergistic effects of the secreted antimicrobial and a commonly prescribed antibiotic, Kanamycin, in inhibiting Citrobacter fruendii. The procedure for this project included using the secreted antimicrobial of KP13 in cell-free supernatant (CFS) form alongside varying concentrations of Kanamycin in bacteriological assays to find the synergistic concentration of the two that maximized inhibition. As this project continues, the goal is to discover how KP13 secretes this antimicrobial, why some strains are immune and others are not, and the therapeutic potential of this antimicrobial for the looming threat of antibacterial resistance.
