ABSTRACT
One hundred wound swab samples were collected from wound patients who visited the Teaching
Hospital wound unit, Hillah, Babylon province, Iraq. K. pneumoniae was identified morphologically
and biochemically. Total of 10 (10%) from total samples exhibited positive culture for K. pneumoniae.
Antibiotic susceptibility was tested for 12 antibiotics. K. pneumoniae isolates showed high resistance rates
to penicillins including ampicillin, amoxicillin (100%) and piperacillin (90%). The present study indicated
that resistance to β-lactamase inhibitors including amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin-sulbactam and
ticarcillin-clavulanic acid were 100%, 90% and 70% respectively. This investigation also indicated that
K. pneumoniae had high rates of resistance to the third generation of cephalosporins including cefotaxime
(80%) followed by ceftazidime (80%), ceftriaxone (80% (and Cefepime (60%(. During the study period,
4 (40%) isolates were found resistant to both imipenem and meropenem. Anti-bacterial activity of silver
nanoparticles (AgNps) against K. pneumoniae displays excessive widespread spectrum antibacterial action
against established bacteria with increased zone of inhibition diameter that is proportional with the increase
in nanoparticle concentration. The (MIC of AgNps ranged from 50-100μg/ml and the MBC ranged from
100-200μg/ml.
Keywords: Ag Nanoparticles, K. pneumonia, wound infection.
