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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Food Microbiology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1473055

Isolation and Characterization of Pathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains from Lettuce: A Potential Source of Antibiotic Resistance and Development of a Mathematical Model for ANOVA Results

Provisionally accepted
Ruby Khan Ruby Khan 1*Saima Wali Saima Wali 2Sumbal Khan Sumbal Khan 3Shaista Munir Shaista Munir 2Bakht Pari Bakht Pari 4Yahya Almutawif Yahya Almutawif 5
  • 1 Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
  • 2 Women University Mardan, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
  • 3 Khyber Girls Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
  • 4 Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
  • 5 Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae contamina- tion specifically in raw lettuce from Risalpur, Pakistan, and to analyze the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the isolated strains. Lettuce samples were collected from vari- ous sources and screened for the presence of K. pneumoniae. Our findings indicate a significant prevalence of K. pneumoniae in lettuce, highlighting considerable public health risks associated with inadequate hygiene practices, improper transportation and storage conditions, and the use of contaminated irrigation water. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that the isolated strains exhibited high susceptibility to gentamicin, while resistance was notably observed against doxycycline, vancomycin, and ticarcillin. The identification of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains underscores the urgent need for improved antibiotic stewardship in the management of foodborne pathogens. To assess the effectiveness of antibiotics, ANOVA was performed to identify signi- ficant differences in inhibition zones among different antibiotics. Subsequently, a linear regression model was utilized to predict the Zone of Inhibition based on antibiotic con- centrations, with model coefficients β0 = 10.6667 and β1 = 0.4556 representing the baseline Zone of Inhibition and the change in inhibition per unit increase in antibiotic concentration, respectively. This approach provided a comprehensive understanding of how varying antibiotic concentrations impact bacterial inhibition. In conclusion, the detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae in raw lettuce underscores the urgent need for enhanced food safety protocols and stringent hygiene practices throughout the food production chain. Addressing these concerns is crucial for mit- igating health risks and combating the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens

    Keywords: Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lettuce, contamination, antibiotic resistance, Food Safety

    Received: 30 Jul 2024; Accepted: 29 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Khan, Wali, Khan, Munir, Pari and Almutawif. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Ruby Khan, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.