scholarly journals Taking Bacteriophage Therapy Seriously: A Moral Argument

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilbert Verbeken ◽  
Isabelle Huys ◽  
Jean-Paul Pirnay ◽  
Serge Jennes ◽  
Nina Chanishvili ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Bacteriophage Therapy ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Improper Use ◽  
New Antibiotics

The excessive and improper use of antibiotics has led to an increasing incidence of bacterial resistance. In Europe the yearly number of infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria is more than 400.000, each year resulting in 25.000 attributable deaths. Few new antibiotics are in the pipeline of the pharmaceutical industry. Early in the 20th century, bacteriophages were described as entities that can control bacterial populations. Although bacteriophage therapy was developed and practiced in Europe and the former Soviet republics, the use of bacteriophages in clinical setting was neglected in Western Europe since the introduction of traditional antibiotics. Given the worldwide antibiotic crisis there is now a growing interest in making bacteriophage therapy available for use in modern western medicine. Despite the growing interest, access to bacteriophage therapy remains highly problematic. In this paper, we argue that the current state of affairs is morally unacceptable and that all stakeholders (pharmaceutical industry, competent authorities, lawmakers, regulators, and politicians) have the moral duty and the shared responsibility towards making bacteriophage therapy urgently available for all patients in need.

scholarly journals Towards Inhaled Phage Therapy in Western Europe

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra-Maria Wienhold ◽  
Jasmin Lienau ◽  
Martin Witzenrath
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
European Medicines Agency ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Bacteriophage Therapy ◽  
Multidrug Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Antibiotic Failure

The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria constitutes a great challenge for modern medicine, recognized by leading medical experts and politicians worldwide. Rediscovery and implementation of bacteriophage therapy by Western medicine might be one solution to the problem of increasing antibiotic failure. In some Eastern European countries phage therapy is used for treating infectious diseases. However, while the European Medicines Agency (EMA) advised that the development of bacteriophage-based therapies should be expedited due to its significant potential, EMA emphasized that phages cannot be recommended for approval before efficacy and safety have been proven by appropriately designed preclinical and clinical trials. More evidence-based data is required, particularly in the areas of pharmacokinetics, repeat applications, immunological reactions to the application of phages as well as the interactions and effects on bacterial biofilms and organ-specific environments. In this brief review we summarize advantages and disadvantages of phage therapy and discuss challenges to the establishment of phage therapy as approved treatment for multidrug-resistant bacteria.

scholarly journals Multidrug and Pan-Antibiotic Resistance—The Role of Antimicrobial and Synergistic Essential Oils: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 1934578X2096259
Author(s):  
Karen Boren ◽  
AliceAnn Crown ◽  
Richard Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Essential Oils ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
World Health ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Membranes ◽  
New Antibiotics ◽  
Clinical Benefits

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics continues to be a grave threat to human health. Because antibiotics are no longer a lucrative market for pharmaceutical companies, the development of new antibiotics has slowed to a crawl. The World Health Organization reported that the 8 new bacterial agents approved since July 2017 had limited clinical benefits. While a cohort of biopharmaceutical companies recently announced plans to develop 2-4 new antibiotics by 2030, we needn’t wait a decade to find innovative antibiotic candidates. Essential oils (EOs) have long been known as antibacterial agents with wide-ranging arsenals. Many are able to penetrate the bacterial membrane and may also be effective against bacterial defenses such as biofilms, efflux pumps, and quorum sensing. EOs have been documented to fight drug-resistant bacteria alone and/or combined with antibiotics. This review will summarize research showing the significant role of EOs as nonconventional regimens against the worldwide spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The authors conducted a 4-year search of the US National Library of Medicine (PubMed) for relevant EO studies against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli, EO combinations/synergy with antibiotics, against MDR fungal infections, showing the ability to permeate bacterial membranes, and against the bacterial defenses listed above. EOs are readily available and are a needed addition to the arsenal against resistant pathogens.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Stewardship Program: Reducing Antibiotic’s Spectrum of Activity Is not the Solution to Limit the Emergence of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria

Antibiotics ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Rindala Saliba ◽  
Assaf Mizrahi ◽  
Péan de Ponfilly Gauthier ◽  
Le Monnier Alban ◽  
Jean-Ralph Zahar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Intestinal Dysbiosis ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Properties ◽  
Multidrug Resistant Organisms ◽  
New Antibiotics ◽  
The Impact

Overconsumption of antibiotics in hospitals has led to policy implementation, including the control of antibiotic prescriptions. The impact of these policies on the evolution of antimicrobial resistance remains uncertain. In this work, we review the possible limits of such policies and focus on the need for a more efficient approach. Establishing a causal relationship between the introduction of new antibiotics and the emergence of new resistance mechanisms is difficult. Several studies have demonstrated that many resistance mechanisms existed before the discovery of antibiotics. Overconsumption of antibiotics has worsened the phenomenon of resistance. Antibiotics are responsible for intestinal dysbiosis, which is suspected of being the source of bacterial resistance. The complexity of the intestinal microbiota composition, the impact of the pharmacokinetic properties of antibiotics, and the multiplicity of other factors involved in the acquisition and emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms, lead us to think that de-escalation, in the absence of studies proving its effectiveness, is not the solution to limiting the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms. More studies are needed to clarify the ecological risk caused by different antibiotic classes. In the meantime, we need to concentrate our efforts on limiting antibiotic prescriptions to patients who really need it, and work on reducing the duration of these treatments.

scholarly journals Bacteriophages and Their Immunological Applications against Infectious Threats

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Criscuolo ◽  
Sara Spadini ◽  
Jacopo Lamanna ◽  
Mattia Ferro ◽  
Roberto Burioni
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Bacteriophage Therapy ◽  
Phage Display Technique ◽  
New Antibiotics ◽  
Near Future

Bacteriophage therapy dates back almost a century, but the discovery of antibiotics led to a rapid decline in the interests and investments within this field of research. Recently, the novel threat of multidrug-resistant bacteria highlighted the alarming drop in research and development of new antibiotics: 16 molecules were discovered during 1983–87, 10 new therapeutics during the nineties, and only 5 between 2003 and 2007. Phages are therefore being reconsidered as alternative therapeutics. Phage display technique has proved to be extremely promising for the identification of effective antibodies directed against pathogens, as well as for vaccine development. At the same time, conventional phage therapy uses lytic bacteriophages for treatment of infections and recent clinical trials have shown great potential. Moreover, several other approaches have been developed in vitro and in vivo using phage-derived proteins as antibacterial agents. Finally, their use has also been widely considered for public health surveillance, as biosensor phages can be used to detect food and water contaminations and prevent bacterial epidemics. These novel approaches strongly promote the idea that phages and their proteins can be exploited as an effective weapon in the near future, especially in a world which is on the brink of a “postantibiotic era.”

Novel Antibiotics from Marine Sources

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 1446-1461 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A. Martis ◽  
G M Doshi ◽  
G V Aggarwal ◽  
P P Shanbhag
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Drug Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Terrestrial Life ◽  
New Antibiotics ◽  
Antibiotic Compounds ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Novel Antibiotics ◽  
Untapped Resource

With the emergence of newer diseases, resistant forms of infectious diseases and multi-drug resistant bacteria, it has become essential to develop novel and more effective antibiotics. Current antibiotics are obtained from terrestrial life or made synthetically from intermediates. The ocean represents virtually untapped resource from which novel antibiotic compounds can be discovered. It is the marine world that will provide the pharmaceutical industry with the next generation of antibiotics. Marine antibiotics are antibiotics obtained from marine organisms. Scientists have reported the discovery of various antibiotics from marine bacteria (aplasmomycin, himalomycins, and pelagiomycins), sponges (Ara C, variabillin, strobilin, ircinin-1, aeroplysin, 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxyphenylacetamide), coelenterates (asperidol and eunicin), mollusks (laurinterol and pachydictyol), tunicates (geranylhydroquinone and cystadytins), algae (cycloeudesmol, aeroplysinin-1(+), prepacifenol and tetrabromoheptanone), worms (tholepin and 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybezaldehyde), and actinomycetes (marinomycins C and D). This indicates that the marine environment, representing approximately half of the global diversity, is an enormous resource for new antibiotics and this source needs to be explored for the discovery of new generation antibiotics. The present article provides an overview of various antibiotics obtained from marine sources.

scholarly journals Multidrug Resistence Prevalence in COVID Area

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 601
Author(s):  
Caterina Aurilio ◽  
Pasquale Sansone ◽  
Antonella Paladini ◽  
Manlio Barbarisi ◽  
Francesco Coppolino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Antimicrobial Drugs ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Therapeutic Procedures ◽  
Viral Respiratory Infections

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, is often complicated by severe acute respiratory syndrome. The new coronavirus outbreak started in China in December 2019 and rapidly spread around the world. The high diffusibility of the virus was the reason for the outbreak of the pandemic viral disease, reaching more than 100 million infected people globally by the first three months of 2021. In the various treatments used up to now, the use of antimicrobial drugs for the management, especially of bacterial co-infections, is very frequent in patients admitted to intensive care. In addition, critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection are subjected to prolonged mechanical ventilation and other therapeutic procedures often responsible for developing hospital co-infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria. Co-infections contribute to the increase in the morbidity–mortality of viral respiratory infections. We performed this study to review the recent articles published on the antibiotic bacterial resistance and viruses to predict risk factors of coronavirus disease 2019 and to assess the multidrug resistance in patients hospitalized in the COVID-19 area.

scholarly journals Gold Nanoparticles: Can They Be the Next Magic Bullet for Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria?

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Mohammad Okkeh ◽  
Nora Bloise ◽  
Elisa Restivo ◽  
Lorenzo De Vita ◽  
Piersandro Pallavicini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gold Nanoparticles ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
World Health ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Magic Bullet ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Gold Silver ◽  
Inorganic Nanomaterials ◽  
Health Organization

In 2017 the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a list of the 12 multidrug-resistant (MDR) families of bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health, and recommended that new measures should be taken to promote the development of new therapies against these superbugs. Few antibiotics have been developed in the last two decades. Part of this slow progression can be attributed to the surge in the resistance acquired by bacteria, which is holding back pharma companies from taking the risk to invest in new antibiotic entities. With limited antibiotic options and an escalating bacterial resistance there is an urgent need to explore alternative ways of meeting this global challenge. The field of medical nanotechnology has emerged as an innovative and a powerful tool for treating some of the most complicated health conditions. Different inorganic nanomaterials including gold, silver, and others have showed potential antibacterial efficacies. Interestingly, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have gained specific attention, due to their biocompatibility, ease of surface functionalization, and their optical properties. In this review, we will focus on the latest research, done in the field of antibacterial gold nanoparticles; by discussing the mechanisms of action, antibacterial efficacies, and future implementations of these innovative antibacterial systems.

scholarly journals Independent Behavior of Commensal Flora for Carriage of Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Bacteria in Patients at Admission

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 5193-5200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoire de Lastours ◽  
Françoise Chau ◽  
Florence Tubach ◽  
Blandine Pasquet ◽  
Etienne Ruppé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facility ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Commensal Flora ◽  
Resistant Strains

ABSTRACT The important role of commensal flora as a natural reservoir of bacterial resistance is now well established. However, whether the behavior of each commensal flora is similar to that of other floras in terms of rates of carriage and risk factors for bacterial resistance is unknown. During a 6-month period, we prospectively investigated colonization with fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria in the three main commensal floras from hospitalized patients at admission, targeting Escherichia coli in the fecal flora, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) in the nasal flora, and α-hemolytic streptococci in the pharyngeal flora. Resistant strains were detected on quinolone-containing selective agar. Clinical and epidemiological data were collected. A total of 555 patients were included. Carriage rates of resistance were 8.0% in E. coli, 30.3% in CNS for ciprofloxacin, and 27.2% in streptococci for levofloxacin; 56% of the patients carried resistance in at least one flora but only 0.9% simultaneously in all floras, which is no more than random. Risk factors associated with the carriage of fluoroquinolone-resistant strains differed between fecal E. coli (i.e., colonization by multidrug-resistant bacteria) and nasal CNS (i.e., age, coming from a health care facility, and previous antibiotic treatment with a fluoroquinolone) while no risk factors were identified for pharyngeal streptococci. Despite high rates of colonization with fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria, each commensal flora behaved independently since simultaneous carriage of resistance in the three distinct floras was uncommon, and risk factors differed. Consequences of environmental selective pressures vary in each commensal flora according to its local specificities (clinical trial NCT00520715 [http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00520715 ]).

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.

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