Phage Therapy in COVID-19 Treatment

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common condition affecting 5–12% of the general population worldwide. In a limited number of cases, the disease is recalcitrant to medical and surgical interventions, causing a major impact on physical, social and emotional well-being and increasing pressure on healthcare systems. Biofilm formation and dysbiosis caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa play a role in the pathogenesis of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis. In these cases, a promising treatment alternative is the application of bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and lyse bacteria. In this review, we appraise the evidence for the use of bacteriophages in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis. Additionally, (dis)advantages of bacteriophages and considerations for implementation of phage therapy in otorhinolaryngology practice will be discussed.

Download Full-text

1615. Isolation of Lytic Bacteriophages with Broad Host Range Activity Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strains Isolated from Respiratory Samples from Cystic Fibrosis Patients Intended for Therapeutic Application

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofaa439.1795 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S801-S801

Author(s):

Jose Alexander ◽

Daniel Navas ◽

Marly Flowers ◽

Angela Charles ◽

Amy Carr

Keyword(s):

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Host Range ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Clinical Isolates ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Plaque Morphology ◽

Broad Host Range ◽

Chronic Infections ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Host Target

Abstract Background With the rise of the antimicrobial resistance between different genera and species of bacteria, Phage Therapy is becoming a more realistic and accessible option for patients with limited or no antimicrobial options. Being able to have rapid access to a collection of clinical active phages is key for rapid implementation of phage therapy. The Microbiology Department at AdventHealth Orlando is performing routine screening of environmental and patient samples for isolation of phages against non-fermenting Gram negative bacteria to develop a Phage Bank. Methods Protocols for phage isolation from environmental sources such as lakes, rivers and sewers and clinical samples were developed. A series of respiratory, throat, stool and urine samples were processed following an internal protocol that includes centrifugation, filtration and enrichment. Clinical samples were centrifugated for 10 minutes, filtered using 0.45µm centrifugation filters, seeded with targeted host bacteria (clinical isolates) and incubated at 35°C for 24 hours. The enriched samples were centrifugated and filtered for a final phage enriched solution. Screening and isolation were performed using the Gracia method over trypticase soybean agar (TSA) for plaque morphology and quantification. Host range screening of other clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa was performed using the new isolated and purified phages. Results 4 lytic phages against clinical strains of P. aeruginosa from patient with diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF), were isolated and purified from 4 different respiratory samples, including sputum and bronchial alveolar lavage. All phages showed phenotypical characteristics of lytic activity. 1 phage was active against 4 strains of P. aeruginosa, 1 phage was active against 2 strains of P. aeruginosa and the remaining 2 phages were active only against the initial host target strain. Conclusion With this study we demonstrated the potential use of clinical samples as source for isolating active bacteriophages against clinically significant bacteria strains. Clinical samples from vulnerable population of patients with chronic infections are part of our routine “phage-hunting” process to stock and grow our Phage Bank project for future clinical use. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Download Full-text

Exploring Mucin as Adjunct to Phage Therapy

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9030509 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 509

Author(s):

Amanda Carroll-Portillo ◽

Henry C. Lin

Keyword(s):

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Gi Tract ◽

Beneficial Bacteria ◽

Phage Cocktail ◽

Small Intestinal ◽

Gastrointestinal Dysbiosis

Conventional phage therapy using bacteriophages (phages) for specific targeting of pathogenic bacteria is not always useful as a therapeutic for gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction. Complex dysbiotic GI disorders such as small intestinal bowel overgrowth (SIBO), ulcerative colitis (UC), or Crohn’s disease (CD) are even more difficult to treat as these conditions have shifts in multiple populations of bacteria within the microbiome. Such community-level structural changes in the gut microbiota may require an alternative to conventional phage therapy such as fecal virome transfer or a phage cocktail capable of targeting multiple bacterial species. Additionally, manipulation of the GI microenvironment may enhance beneficial bacteria–phage interactions during treatment. Mucin, produced along the entire length of the GI tract to protect the underlying mucosa, is a prominent contributor to the GI microenvironment and may facilitate bacteria–phage interactions in multiple ways, potentially serving as an adjunct during phage therapy. In this review, we will describe what is known about the role of mucin within the GI tract and how its facilitation of bacteria–phage interactions should be considered in any effort directed at optimizing effectiveness of a phage therapy for gastrointestinal dysbiosis.

Download Full-text

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO 1 In Vitro Time–Kill Kinetics Using Single Phages and Phage Formulations—Modulating Death, Adaptation, and Resistance

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10070877 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 877

Author(s):

Ana Mafalda Pinto ◽

Alberta Faustino ◽

Lorenzo M. Pastrana ◽

Manuel Bañobre-López ◽

Sanna Sillankorva

Keyword(s):

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Chronic Infections ◽

Swarming Motility ◽

Resistance Development ◽

Healthcare Settings ◽

Time Kill

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for nosocomial and chronic infections in healthcare settings. The major challenge in treating P. aeruginosa-related diseases is its remarkable capacity for antibiotic resistance development. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is regarded as a possible alternative that has, for years, attracted attention for fighting multidrug-resistant infections. In this work, we characterized five phages showing different lytic spectrums towards clinical isolates. Two of these phages were isolated from the Russian Microgen Sextaphage formulation and belong to the Phikmvviruses, while three Pbunaviruses were isolated from sewage. Different phage formulations for the treatment of P. aeruginosa PAO1 resulted in diversified time–kill outcomes. The best result was obtained with a formulation with all phages, prompting a lower frequency of resistant variants and considerable alterations in cell motility, resulting in a loss of 73.7% in swimming motility and a 79% change in swarming motility. These alterations diminished the virulence of the phage-resisting phenotypes but promoted their growth since most became insensitive to a single or even all phages. However, not all combinations drove to enhanced cell killings due to the competition and loss of receptors. This study highlights that more caution is needed when developing cocktail formulations to maximize phage therapy efficacy. Selecting phages for formulations should consider the emergence of phage-resistant bacteria and whether the formulations are intended for short-term or extended antibacterial application.

Download Full-text

Animal Models in the Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Phage Therapy for Infections Caused by Gram-Negative Bacteria from the ESKAPE Group and the Reliability of Its Use in Humans

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9020206 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 206

Author(s):

Martyna Cieślik ◽

Natalia Bagińska ◽

Andrzej Górski ◽

Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak

Keyword(s):

Animal Models ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Animal Experiments ◽

Species Group ◽

Effectiveness Evaluation ◽

Gram Negative Bacteria ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Enterobacter Species ◽

The Individual

The authors emphasize how extremely important it is to highlight the role played by animal models in an attempt to determine possible phage interactions with the organism into which it was introduced as well as to determine the safety and effectiveness of phage therapy in vivo taking into account the individual conditions of a given organism and its physiology. Animal models in which phages are used make it possible, among other things, to evaluate the effective therapeutic dose and to choose the possible route of phage administration depending on the type of infection developed. These results cannot be applied in detail to the human body, but the knowledge gained from animal experiments is invaluable and very helpful. We would like to highlight how useful animal models may be for the possible effectiveness evaluation of phage therapy in the case of infections caused by gram-negative bacteria from the ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species) group of pathogens. In this review, we focus specifically on the data from the last few years.

Download Full-text

Distribution of CRISPR Types in Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Campylobacter jejuni Isolates

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10030345 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 345

Author(s):

Mehmet Cemal Adiguzel ◽

Debora Brito Goulart ◽

Zuowei Wu ◽

Jinji Pang ◽

Seyda Cengiz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequencing ◽

Campylobacter Jejuni ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Point Mutations ◽

Common Mutation ◽

Gyra Gene ◽

Nucleotide Homology ◽

Different Sources

To aid development of phage therapy against Campylobacter, we investigated the distribution of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) systems in fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant Campylobacter jejuni. A total of 100 FQ-resistant C. jejuni strains from different sources were analyzed by PCR and DNA sequencing to determine resistance-conferring mutation in the gyrA gene and the presence of various CRISPR systems. All but one isolate harbored 1–5 point mutations in gyrA, and the most common mutation was the Thr86Ile change. Ninety-five isolates were positive with the CRISPR PCR, and spacer sequences were found in 86 of them. Among the 292 spacer sequences identified in this study, 204 shared 93–100% nucleotide homology to Campylobacter phage D10, 44 showed 100% homology to Campylobacter phage CP39, and 3 had 100% homology with Campylobacter phage CJIE4-5. The remaining 41 spacer sequences did not match with any phages in the database. Based on the results, it was inferred that the FQ-resistant C. jejuni isolates analyzed in this study were potentially resistant to Campylobacter phages D10, CP39, and CJIE4-5 as well as some unidentified phages. These phages should be excluded from cocktails of phages that may be utilized to treat FQ-resistant Campylobacter.

Download Full-text

Bacteriophages: what role may they play in life after spinal cord injury?

Spinal Cord ◽

10.1038/s41393-021-00636-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lorenz Leitner ◽

Shawna McCallin ◽

Thomas M. Kessler

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

High Risk ◽

General Population ◽

Bacterial Infections ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Drug Resistant ◽

Cord Injury ◽

High Risk Populations

AbstractBacterial infections are the leading cause of death in people with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that solely infect and kill bacteria. The idea of using phages to treat bacterial infections, i.e., phage therapy, is very promising and potentially allows a more specific and personalized treatment of bacterial infections than antibiotics. While multi-drug resistant infections affect individuals from the general population, alternative therapeutic options are especially warranted in high-risk populations, such as individuals with SCI. However, more clinical data must be collected before phage therapy can be implemented in clinical practice, with numerous possible, subsequent applications.

Download Full-text

Bacteriophage uptake by mammalian cell layers represents a potential sink that may impact phage therapy

iScience ◽

10.1016/j.isci.2021.102287 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 102287 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marion C. Bichet ◽

Wai Hoe Chin ◽

William Richards ◽

Yu-Wei Lin ◽

Laura Avellaneda-Franco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mammalian Cell ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Cell Layers

Download Full-text

Bacteriophages to Control Multi-Drug Resistant Enterococcus faecalis Infection of Dental Root Canals

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9030517 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 517

Author(s):

Mohamed El-Telbany ◽

Gamal El-Didamony ◽

Ahmed Askora ◽

Eman Ariny ◽

Dalia Abdallah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Enterococcus Faecalis ◽

Root Canal ◽

Phage Therapy ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Burst Size ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Drug Resistant ◽

Range Analysis ◽

Root Canals

Phage therapy is an alternative treatment to antibiotics that can overcome multi-drug resistant bacteria. In this study, we aimed to isolate and characterize lytic bacteriophages targeted against Enterococcus faecalis isolated from root canal infections obtained from clinics at the Faculty of Dentistry, Ismalia, Egypt. Bacteriophage, vB_ZEFP, was isolated from concentrated wastewater collected from hospital sewage. Morphological and genomic analysis revealed that the phage belongs to the Podoviridae family with a linear double-stranded DNA genome, consisting of 18,454, with a G + C content of 32.8%. Host range analysis revealed the phage could infect 10 of 13 E. faecalis isolates exhibiting a range of antibiotic resistances recovered from infected root canals with efficiency of plating values above 0.5. One-step growth curves of this phage showed that it has a burst size of 110 PFU per infected cell, with a latent period of 10 min. The lytic activity of this phage against E. faecalis biofilms showed that the phage was able to control the growth of E. faecalis in vitro. Phage vB_ZEFP could also prevent ex-vivo E. faecalis root canal infection. These results suggest that phage vB_ZEFP has potential for application in phage therapy and specifically in the prevention of infection after root canal treatment.

Download Full-text