Bioactive Compounds from Macrotermes: A Novel Approach to Combat Multidrug Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae from Musca domestica in Hospital Landfills

Abstract

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, particularly Multiple Antibiotic Resistant (MAR) Klebsiella pneumoniae, poses a significant global health threat. This study investigated the inhibitory activity of chemical eluents derived from Macrotermes species against clinical MAR strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from Musca domestica collected in hospital landfill sites. A total of 100 Musca domestica were collected from different hospital landfills and screened for the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae using standard microbiological techniques. Eluate from Macrotermes species was obtained using solvent extraction and chromatographic techniques. Micro-dilution technique was employed in assessing the inhibitory activity of the eluates against the test isolates. The results revealed the presence of three Klebsiella pneumoniae strains: KPA2, KPK6, and KPDD, with KPDD being the most prevalent (45.10%) and KPA2 showing the highest degree of resistance (100%) to tested antibiotics. The bioassay of termite eluents demonstrated significant (p<0.05) strain-dependent inhibitory activity, with isolate KPK6 being the most susceptible and KPDD showing the highest tolerance. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values varied among the isolates, with KPK6 requiring the lowest concentration for inhibition and bactericidal action. The study found a significant (p<0.05) difference in the susceptibility of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to conventional antibiotics and Macrotermes eluents, indicating the potential of Macrotermes-derived compounds as alternative antimicrobial agents. The study concluded that eluents from Macrotermes species exhibit potent inhibitory activity against highly resistant environmental MAR K. pneumoniae, highlighting their potential as novel antimicrobial agents.