scholarly journals Bacteriophages: the possible solution to treat infections caused by pathogenic bacteria

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 865-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman El-Shibiny ◽  
Salma El-Sahhar
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Western World ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Vaccine Production ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant

Since their discovery in 1915, bacteriophages have been used to treat bacterial infections in animals and humans because of their unique ability to infect their specific bacterial hosts without affecting other bacterial populations. The research carried out in this field throughout the 20th century, largely in Georgia, part of USSR and Poland, led to the establishment of phage therapy protocols. However, the discovery of penicillin and sulfonamide antibiotics in the Western World during the 1930s was a setback in the advancement of phage therapy. The misuse of antibiotics has reduced their efficacy in controlling pathogens and has led to an increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As an alternative to antibiotics, bacteriophages have become a topic of interest with the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which are a threat to public health. Recent studies have indicated that bacteriophages can be used indirectly to detect pathogenic bacteria or directly as biocontrol agents. Moreover, they can be used to develop new molecules for clinical applications, vaccine production, drug design, and in the nanomedicine field via phage display.

scholarly journals A Wake-Up Call: We Need Phage Therapy Now

Viruses ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Moelling ◽  
Felix Broecker ◽  
Christian Willy
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Western World ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Multidrug Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Serious Adverse Events ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Legal Frameworks

The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria has resulted in an increased interest in phage therapy, which historically preceded antibiotic treatment against bacterial infections. To date, there have been no reports of serious adverse events caused by phages. They have been successfully used to cure human diseases in Eastern Europe for many decades. More recently, clinical trials and case reports for a variety of indications have shown promising results. However, major hurdles to the introduction of phage therapy in the Western world are the regulatory and legal frameworks. Present regulations may take a decade or longer to be fulfilled. It is of urgent need to speed up the availability of phage therapy.

scholarly journals Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Clams—A Study on Mussels in the River Rhine

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 571
Author(s):  
Nicole Zacharias ◽  
Iris Löckener ◽  
Sarah M. Essert ◽  
Esther Sib ◽  
Gabriele Bierbaum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Sewage Treatment Plant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
River Rhine ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Surrounding Water ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant

Bacterial infections have been treated effectively by antibiotics since the discovery of penicillin in 1928. A worldwide increase in the use of antibiotics led to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains in almost all bacterial pathogens, which complicates the treatment of infectious diseases. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria play an important role in increasing the risk associated with the usage of surface waters (e.g., irrigation, recreation) and the spread of the resistance genes. Many studies show that important pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria can enter the environment by the discharge of sewage treatment plants and combined sewage overflow events. Mussels have successfully been used as bio-indicators of heavy metals, chemicals and parasites; they may also be efficient bio-indicators for viruses and bacteria. In this study an influence of the discharge of a sewage treatment plant could be shown in regard to the presence of E. coli in higher concentrations in the mussels downstream the treatment plant. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, resistant against one or two classes of antibiotics and relevance for human health could be detected in the mussels at different sampling sites of the river Rhine. No multidrug-resistant bacteria could be isolated from the mussels, although they were found in samples of the surrounding water body.

scholarly journals Antibiotics in Food Chain: The Consequences for Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 688
Author(s):  
Shashi B. Kumar ◽  
Shanvanth R. Arnipalli ◽  
Ouliana Ziouzenkova
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Food Chain ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Alternative Strategies ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Continuous Use

Antibiotics have been used as essential therapeutics for nearly 100 years and, increasingly, as a preventive agent in the agricultural and animal industry. Continuous use and misuse of antibiotics have provoked the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria that progressively increased mortality from multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, thereby posing a tremendous threat to public health. The goal of our review is to advance the understanding of mechanisms of dissemination and the development of antibiotic resistance genes in the context of nutrition and related clinical, agricultural, veterinary, and environmental settings. We conclude with an overview of alternative strategies, including probiotics, essential oils, vaccines, and antibodies, as primary or adjunct preventive antimicrobial measures or therapies against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The solution for antibiotic resistance will require comprehensive and incessant efforts of policymakers in agriculture along with the development of alternative therapeutics by experts in diverse fields of microbiology, biochemistry, clinical research, genetic, and computational engineering.

scholarly journals The Concerted Action of Two B3-Like Prophage Genes Excludes Superinfecting Bacteriophages by Blocking DNA Entry into Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Antonio Carballo-Ontiveros ◽  
Adrián Cazares ◽  
Pablo Vinuesa ◽  
Luis Kameyama ◽  
Gabriel Guarneros
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Alternative Therapy ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Infections ◽  
Genes Encoding

ABSTRACT In this study, we describe seven vegetative phage genomes homologous to the historic phage B3 that infect Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Like other phage groups, the B3-like group contains conserved (core) and variable (accessory) open reading frames (ORFs) grouped at fixed regions in their genomes; however, in either case, many ORFs remain without assigned functions. We constructed lysogens of the seven B3-like phages in strain Ps33 of P. aeruginosa, a novel clinical isolate, and assayed the exclusion phenotype against a variety of temperate and virulent superinfecting phages. In addition to the classic exclusion conferred by the phage immunity repressor, the phenotype observed in B3-like lysogens suggested the presence of other exclusion genes. We set out to identify the genes responsible for this exclusion phenotype. Phage Ps56 was chosen as the study subject since it excluded numerous temperate and virulent phages. Restriction of the Ps56 genome, cloning of several fragments, and resection of the fragments that retained the exclusion phenotype allowed us to identify two core ORFs, so far without any assigned function, as responsible for a type of exclusion. Neither gene expressed separately from plasmids showed activity, but the concurrent expression of both ORFs is needed for exclusion. Our data suggest that phage adsorption occurs but that phage genome translocation to the host’s cytoplasm is defective. To our knowledge, this is the first report on this type of exclusion mediated by a prophage in P. aeruginosa. IMPORTANCE Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium frequently isolated from infected immunocompromised patients, and the strains are resistant to a broad spectrum of antibiotics. Recently, the use of phages has been proposed as an alternative therapy against multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, this approach may present various hurdles. This work addresses the problem that pathogenic bacteria may be lysogenized by phages carrying genes encoding resistance against secondary infections, such as those used in phage therapy. Discovering phage genes that exclude superinfecting phages not only assigns novel functions to orphan genes in databases but also provides insight into selection of the proper phages for use in phage therapy.

scholarly journals Phage Therapy -- Everything Old Is New again

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 297-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M Kropinski
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Therapeutic Modality ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Pathogenic Potential ◽  
Microbial Genetics ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Vector Systems ◽  
Variable Success ◽  
Bacterial Viruses

The study of bacterial viruses (bacteriophages or phages) proved pivotal in the nascence of the disciplines of molecular biology and microbial genetics, providing important information on the central processes of the bacterial cell (DNA replication, transcription and translation) and on how DNA can be transferred from one cell to another. As a result of the pioneering genetics studies and modern genomics, it is now known that phages have contributed to the evolution of the microbial cell and to its pathogenic potential. Because of their ability to transmit genes, phages have been exploited to develop cloning vector systems. They also provide a plethora of enzymes for the modern molecular biologist. Until the introduction of antibiotics, phages were used to treat bacterial infections (with variable success). Western science is now having to re-evaluate the application of phage therapy -- a therapeutic modality that never went out of vogue in Eastern Europe -- because of the emergence of an alarming number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The present article introduces the reader to phage biology, and the benefits and pitfalls of phage therapy in humans and animals.

scholarly journals Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Nichols ◽  
Sylvia Stoffella ◽  
Rachel Meyers ◽  
Jennifer Girotto ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Increased Risk

The frequent use of antimicrobials in pediatric patients has led to a significant increase in multidrug-resistant bacterial infections among children. Antimicrobial stewardship programs have been created in many hospitals in an effort to curtail and optimize the use of antibiotics. Pediatric-focused programs are necessary because of the differences in antimicrobial need and use among this patient population, unique considerations and dosing, vulnerability for resistance due to a lifetime of antibiotic exposure, and the increased risk of adverse events. This paper serves as a position statement of the Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group (PPAG) who supports the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs for all pediatric patients. PPAG also believes that a pediatric pharmacy specialist should be included as part of that program and that services be covered by managed care organizations and government insurance entities. PPAG also recommends that states create legislation similar to that in existence in California and Missouri and that a federal Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria be permanently established. PPAG also supports post-doctoral pharmacy training programs in antibiotic stewardship.

scholarly journals Occurrence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on animal farms and in their vicinity in Poland and Ukraine—review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Jeżak ◽  
Anna Kozajda
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Animal Farming ◽  
Food Of Animal Origin ◽  
Zoonotic Bacteria

AbstractIntensive animal farming emits to the environment very high concentrations of bioaerosol, mainly composed of microorganisms, including antibiotics resistant strains, and their derivatives. Poland is a significant producer of poultry and swine in Europe; Ukraine is located in the immediate vicinity of Poland and the EU. Thus, the review focuses on the presence of potentially pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant zoonotic bacteria and antimicrobial genes in the environment of farms and food of animal origin in Poland and Ukraine. Existing data confirms presence of these bacteria in the food animal origin chain environment in both countries. However, it is difficult to compare the scale of multidrug-resistant bacteria (e.g. MRSA, ESBL) dissemination in Poland and Ukraine with other EU countries due to lack of more extensive studies and large-scale monitoring in these two countries. A series of studies concerning resistance of pathogenic bacteria isolated from livestock environment have been published in Poland but usually on single farms with a very limited number of samples, and without a genotypic drug resistance marking. From Ukraine are available only few reports, but also disturbing. The risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria transmission does not only concern animal farming, but also other facilities of animal origin food supply chains, especially slaughterhouses.

scholarly journals Bacteriophage therapy: experience from the Eliava Institute, Georgia

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Chanishvili ◽  
Richard Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Bacteriophage Therapy ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Bacterial Diseases ◽  
Wide Range

The lysis of bacteria by bacteriophage was independently discovered by Frederick Twort and Felix d?Herelle but it was d?Herelle who proposed that bacteriophage might be applied to the control of bacterial diseases. Within the former Soviet Union (FSU), bacteriophage therapy was researched and applied extensively for the treatment of a wide range of bacterial infections. In the West, however, it was not explored with the same enthusiasm and was eventually discarded with the arrival of antibiotics. However, the increase in the incidence of multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the absence of effective means for their control has led to increasing international interest in phage therapy and in the long experience of the Eliava Institute. The Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology (IBMV), which celebrates its 85th anniversary in 2008, was founded in Tbilisi in 1923 through the joint efforts of d?Herelle and the Georgian microbiologist, George Eliava.

scholarly journals Design, Overproduction and Purification of the Chimeric Phage Lysin MLTphg Fighting against Staphylococcus aureus

Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1587
Author(s):  
Feng Wang ◽  
Xiaohang Liu ◽  
Zhengyu Deng ◽  
Yao Zhang ◽  
Xinyu Ji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Conventional Antibiotics ◽  
Phage Lysin ◽  
Shed Light

With the increasing spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, it is of great importance to develop alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Here, we report the generation of a chimeric phage lysin, MLTphg, which was assembled by joining the lysins derived from Meiothermus bacteriophage MMP7 and Thermus bacteriophage TSP4 with a flexible linker via chimeolysin engineering. As a potential antimicrobial agent, MLTphg can be obtained by overproduction in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells and the following Ni-affinity chromatography. Finally, we recovered about 40 ± 1.9 mg of MLTphg from 1 L of the host E. coli BL21(DE3) culture. The purified MLTphg showed peak activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 between 35 and 40 °C, and maintained approximately 44.5 ± 2.1% activity at room temperature (25 °C). Moreover, as a produced chimera, it exhibited considerably improved bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus (2.9 ± 0.1 log10 reduction was observed upon 40 nM MLTphg treatment at 37 °C for 30 min) and also a group of antibiotic-resistant bacteria compared to its parental lysins, TSPphg and MMPphg. In the current age of growing antibiotic resistance, our results provide an engineering basis for developing phage lysins as novel antimicrobial agents and shed light on bacteriophage-based strategies to tackle bacterial infections.

Tea: An anti-bacterial agent against drug resistant bacteria

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2506-2511
Author(s):  
Nayyab Sultan ◽  
Sabahat Javaid Butt ◽  
Wajeeha Mehak ◽  
Samreen Qureshi ◽  
Syed Hamza Abbas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Salmonella Typhi ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumonia ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Bacterial Agent ◽  
Drug Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Scientific World

Antibiotics have played a crucial role in the treatment of bacterial infections. Past few decades are marked with advancement of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens, which have endangered antibiotic’s therapeutic efficacy. Scientific world is now struggling with the crisis of MDR pathogens. This supreme matter demands careful attention or otherwise it would jeopardize clinical management of infectious diseases. Implication of alternative approaches can pave a new way in the treatment of these troublesome bacteria. Tea leaves are known to pose antibacterial activity against many pathogenic microorganisms. This review has summarized the antibacterial potential of tea leave’s extracts against resistant bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhi, Acenitobacter spp, Campylobacter spp. Consumption of natural products such as tea may very well replace, minimize or obliterate this complicated situation. Keywords: Anti-bacterial, Tea, Camellia sinensis, Drug resistant bacteria, Antibiotic resistant bacteria, Synergism, Polyphenols.

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