Abstract
The overall prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a critical zoonotic pathogen, within global dairy herds, with a potential risk of cross-species transmission between humans and cattle as a food-borne infection, remains to be clarified. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae ) in raw milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt, and cream collected from various local markets in Karbala, Iraq. A total of 375 random samples were examined, including products from City Center, Al-Hur, Al-Hindyia, Al-Hassainya, and Ain Al-Tamer. Samples were cultivated on MacConkey agar and CHROMagar Enterobacteria selective medium to isolate and identify K. pneumoniae. Confirmation was achieved through biochemical tests and the Vitek system. The results revealed a high contamination rate of Klebsiella pneumoniae in cheese (45.33%), followed closely by raw milk (42.67 %), and yoghurt exhibited the lowest contamination rate at (8 %). A test for antibiotic sensitivity was conducted to a number of isolates by using disc diffusion method against six antimicrobial agents ( Penicillin G, Amikacin, amoxicillin , Ciprofloxacin , Tetracycline , and ampicillin/cloxacillin) , using Mueller Hinton agar (MHA) plates. Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates exhibited multiple resistance against 4 or more of different antibiotics. These findings highlight significant microbiological safety concerns regarding dairy products in the region, indicating an urgent need for improved hygiene practices in dairy processing and handling to safeguard public health.