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Targeting Enterococcus faecalis biofilms with phage therapy

Leron Khalifa1, Yair Brosh1, Daniel Gelman2

  • 1Faculty of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel Department of Prosthodontics, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|February 10, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Phage therapy using EFDG1 shows promise against multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis infections. This bacteriophage effectively targets both planktonic cells and biofilms, offering a new strategy for difficult-to-treat conditions like root canal infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Enterococcus faecalis is a resilient pathogen causing infections like endocarditis and persistent root canal issues.
  • Multidrug-resistant strains and robust biofilms present significant challenges for conventional antibiotic treatments.
  • Effective anti-infective strategies are crucial for combating E. faecalis-associated infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize a bacteriophage targeting Enterococcus faecalis.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of the isolated phage against planktonic and biofilm cultures of E. faecalis and E. faecium.
  • To assess the phage's potential in preventing ex vivo E. faecalis root canal infections.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of bacteriophage EFDG1 from sewage effluents.
  • Electron microscopy for phage visualization and whole genome sequencing for phylogenetic analysis.
  • In vitro evaluation of EFDG1's lytic activity against planktonic and biofilm cultures of E. faecalis and E. faecium, including antibiotic-resistant strains.
  • Ex vivo assessment of EFDG1 efficacy in preventing E. faecalis root canal infections.

Main Results:

  • Bacteriophage EFDG1, belonging to the Myoviridae family, was isolated and characterized.
  • EFDG1 demonstrated effective lytic activity against diverse E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates, irrespective of their antibiotic resistance.
  • The phage efficiently prevented ex vivo E. faecalis root canal infections, indicating therapeutic potential.

Conclusions:

  • Phage therapy with EFDG1 presents a viable alternative to antibiotics for treating E. faecalis infections.
  • EFDG1 shows significant promise for preventing and treating persistent infections, particularly those involving biofilms and antibiotic resistance.
  • The study highlights EFDG1 as a potential therapeutic agent for post-root canal treatment infections.

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