The Synergistic Antibacterial Effect of Topical Phage Cocktail and Gentamicin on the Healing Process of Infectious Wounds by <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> in Wistar Rats Model

Background: Infections caused by drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae represent a significant and growing global problem. Bacteriophages are viruses that target specific bacteria and represent a promising alternative to antibiotics for eradicating bacterial infections. Objectives: This study investigated the therapeutic effect of a phage cocktail on wounds infected with clinical and standard K. pneumoniae (ATCC® BAA-1705) strains. Methods: Specific bacteriophages were isolated from hospital sewage samples. An infectious wound model was established in Wistar rats, and the effects of a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) gel containing a phage cocktail were evaluated in animals with infected wounds compared with gentamicin. Finally, the antibacterial and wound-healing effects of combination therapy (HPMC gel containing phage cocktail + gentamicin) were investigated in vivo. Results: The results revealed that a single dose of a phage cocktail significantly reduced the mortality rate in rats with K. pneumoniae wound infection. We also observed that combination therapy (phage cocktail + gentamicin) significantly accelerated infected wound healing and reduced the number of bacterial colonies and the mortality rate in rats. Conclusions: Complementary therapy using a phage cocktail in combination with antibiotics may be a promising approach for treating infected wounds. Infections caused by drug-resistant K. pneumoniae represent a significant and growing problem worldwide.