Antibacterial mechanism and in vivo efficacy of cladribine against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

Abstract Background The proliferation and dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) constitutes a critical public health concern, underscoring the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. In this study, we identified cladribine, a synthetic purine analogue, as a potential antimicrobial candidate against CRKP. Results Cladribine exhibited an MIC of 64 μg/mL against clinical CRKP isolates. Consistently, growth curve and time-kill assays also demonstrated that cladribine