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Bacteriophage therapy for bone and joint infections
Bryan P Gibb1, Michael Hadjiargyrou1
1Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York, USA.
The Bone & Joint Journal
|February 1, 2021
Summary
Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat. Bacteriophage therapy, using viruses that infect bacteria, shows promise for treating difficult bone and joint infections, especially those linked to surgical implants.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Infectious disease
- Microbiology
Background:
- Antibiotic resistance poses a significant global health threat, projected to cause millions of deaths annually.
- Implant-associated infections in orthopaedics often lead to complications, requiring further surgery and prolonged illness.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current knowledge on bacteriophage therapy for bacterial infections.
- To discuss the potential application of bacteriophage therapy in treating orthopaedic bone and joint infections.
- To evaluate the efficacy of bacteriophages against antibiotic-resistant pathogens in orthopaedic settings.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of published in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trial data on bacteriophage therapy.
- Analysis of studies specifically addressing bone and joint infections.
- Examination of research on bacteriophages for implant-associated infections.
Main Results:
- Bacteriophage therapy has demonstrated success in treating various bacterial infections.
- While research is ongoing, successful applications in non-orthopaedic fields are emerging.
- Preliminary data suggest bacteriophages could be effective against bacteria causing bone and joint infections.
Conclusions:
- Bacteriophage therapy presents a viable alternative to antibiotics for treating bacterial infections.
- Further research and clinical trials are warranted to establish bacteriophage therapy for orthopaedic infections.
- This approach holds significant potential for managing challenging implant-associated infections in orthopaedics.
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