Document Type : Regular Article
Authors
Division of Biotechnology, Department of Applied Sciences, University of Technology – Iraq
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a noteworthy human pathogen. As a virulence factor, these bacteria may create a thick coating of extracellular biofilm. This aids the organism's adhesion to biotic as well as abiotic surfaces, preventing antimicrobial agents from doing their job. Infections caused by bacterial biofilms have become more difficult to treat as a result. Therefore, the present study has been designed to investigate the effects of essential oils, individually or in combination, on the biofilms of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. In this research, the quantification of biofilm composition for 50 isolates from urine samples indicates the following statistics: [n = 24 (48%)] isolates form a strong biofilm, [n = 12 (24%)] a moderate biofilm, [n = 10 (20%)] a weak biofilm, and [n = 4 (8%] a non-biofilm. The Minimum Inhibitor Concentration (MIC) and MBC values for essential oils were determined. The results showed that the MIC for tea tree oil was 0.25% and MBC 0.5%. While the MIC for cinnamon oil was 0.125%, and MBC was 0.25%. Afterward, the anti-biofilm effectiveness of essential oils was evaluated. The results showed that both oils had good efficacy against strong biofilm for Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. But in a comparison between them, cinnamon oil showed better results. Due to the efficacy of these two oils, the combined impact of the two oils was discovered in this study. And the results revealed that there was an antagonistic effect. These findings recommend additional essential oils be tested to see how they affect biofilms of Klebsiella pneumoniae or other bacteria.
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