%0 Journal Article %T Bactericidal Activity of Lactic Acid against Clinical, Carbapenem-Hydrolyzing, Multi-Drug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Planktonic and Biofilm-Forming Cells %J Antibiotics | An Open Access Journal from MDPI %D 2019 %R https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics8040181 %X Carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae has been highlighted to be a critical pathogen by the World Health Organization. The objectives of this study were to assess the efficacy of lactic acid (LA) against planktonic cells and biofilms formed by carbapenem-hydrolyzing K. pneumoniae isolates obtained from the nares of preterm neonates. Time-kill assays with graded percentages of ( v/ v) LA in water were initially carried out against planktonic cells of a meropenem (MRP)-resistant K. pneumoniae isolate, JNM11.C4. The efficacy parameters such as optimal incubation time and minimum inhibitory concentration were determined by comparing colony-forming unit counts (log (10) CFU). Scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize cell damage. Likewise, JNM11.C4 biofilms were treated with graded series of ( v/ v) LA. Six carbapenem-hydrolyzing isolates were next used to validate the results. A reduction of 3.6 ¡À 0.6 log (10) CFU/mL in JNM11.C4 planktonic cells and >3 ¡À 0.03log (10) CFU/mL in biofilm-forming cells were observed using 0.225% and 2% LA, respectively, after three hours. Similar decreases in viable cell-counts were observed both in the case of planktonic (£¿3.6 ¡À 0.3log (10) CFU/mL) and biofilm-forming cells (3.8 ¡À 0.3log (10) CFU/mL) across all the six clinical isolates. These results indicate that LA is an effective antimicrobial against planktonic carbapenem-hydrolyzing K. pneumoniae cells and biofilms. View Full-Tex %U https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/8/4/181