Models of phage growth and their applicability to phage therapy

Phage therapy is complicated by the self-replicating nature of phage. It is difficult to extrapolate from in vitro phage growth data to in vivo expectations, difficult to interpret in vivo data and difficult to generalize from one in vivo situation to another. Various generic models of phage growth have been used as the theoretical basis for understanding the kinetics of phage therapy. Here, we have experimentally tested the efficacy of such simple models to predict, qualitatively and quantitatively, the growth of phage and the phage proliferation threshold in vitro. Naturally occurring, antibiotic-resistant bacteria were used to measure the growth of phage in vivo. In homogenous, in vitro environments, the models were predictive of T4 phage growth on Escherichia coli RR1. However, the models were not able to predict growth of T4 phage or K1-5 phage in the more complex environment of the rat's digestive tract. To explore fully the kinetics of phage therapy, more complex models need to be devised. We suggest that it may be necessary to consider and model the interactions between phage growth parameters and bacterial growth parameters.