Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Bacteriophage Effectiveness for Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Evaluated via High-Throughput Settings
07:22

Bacteriophage Effectiveness for Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Evaluated via High-Throughput Settings

Published on: August 19, 2021

3.5K

On-Demand Isolation of Bacteriophages Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria for Personalized Phage Therapy

Sari Mattila1, Pilvi Ruotsalainen1, Matti Jalasvuori1

  • 1Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä Finland.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|December 1, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Researchers explored isolating bacteriophages (bacterial viruses) from sewage on-demand to combat drug-resistant bacteria. This method showed success against some pathogens but was less effective for others, highlighting challenges in phage therapy development.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and show potential as an alternative to antibiotics for treating multi-drug resistant infections.
  • Phage therapy faces challenges due to the high host specificity of phages, making pre-prepared phage cocktails difficult to develop.
  • Environmental reservoirs, such as sewage, may contain diverse phages that could be isolated on-demand.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the feasibility of isolating bacteriophages on-demand from sewage against specific drug-resistant bacterial pathogens.
  • To assess the probability of discovering effective therapeutic phages against nosocomial infections.
  • To determine the stability and host range of isolated phages.

Main Methods:

  • Enrichment of infectious bacteriophages from sewage samples targeting specific drug-resistant bacterial strains.
  • Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages against medically important species, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Determination of phage stability and host range.

Main Results:

  • Successful on-demand isolation of bacteriophages was achieved against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
  • The probability of isolating suitable phages was less than 40% against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • Isolation of novel phages against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus proved very difficult.

Conclusions:

  • On-demand isolation of bacteriophages from environmental sources like sewage is a viable strategy for certain drug-resistant bacterial pathogens.
  • The effectiveness of this approach varies significantly depending on the target bacterial species and its resistance profile.
  • Further research is needed to overcome challenges in isolating phages against particularly difficult-to-treat bacteria like MRSA.
Keywords:
ESBLMRSAantibiotic resistancebacteriophagesphage cocktailsphage therapy

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides07:19

Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides

Published on: June 28, 2024

1.6K
Synthesis of Infectious Bacteriophages in an E. coli-based Cell-free Expression System11:33

Synthesis of Infectious Bacteriophages in an E. coli-based Cell-free Expression System

Published on: August 17, 2017

15.8K

Related Concept Videos

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the...
80.0K
DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
1.4K
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
69.5K
Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

Overview
62.1K
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
1.4K
Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle

The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects...
2.3K