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Investigations on Acinetophage, QAB 3.4, Targeting Extensively Drug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates
Aamir Hussain1,2,3, Shaheena Kousar2, Ihsan Ullah3
1Combined Military Hospital Multan, Multan, Pakistan.
Purpose:
Drug resistance against antimicrobials is on the rise at alarmingly high rates. Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the six ESKAPE pathogens which are a significant "one health" issue. Clinical isolates of A. baumannii exhibit MDR phenotype mostly and infrequently the XDR and PDR phenotype. As a result, these infections have one of the highest mortality rates in hospitals. Alternative therapies are urgently needed.
Methods:
Various phages were enriched against XDR clinical strain of A. baumannii. A potent phage, QAB 3.4, was further tested against 100 clinical strains. Because of its broad lytic activity, it was further tested for stability, resistance development and as an infection control agent.
Results:
Phage QAB 3.4 showed broad lytic activity against 100 MDR and XDR clinical isolates representing a wide diversity of infection sites. Assays conducted to document the phage's stability, and ability of clinical isolates to develop resistance against it, showed promising outcomes for its potential use in clinical applications. Phage QAB 3.4 was able to eradicate A. baumannii from pre-inoculated solid surfaces. It provides a proof of concept that phages can be used as environmentally friendly infection control agents.
Conclusion:
We propose the phage QAB 3.4 is a promising candidate for further pre-clinical and clinical studies to test its biosafety and efficacy.
Insights
A novel phage, QAB 3.4, effectively targets multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, offering a promising alternative therapy. This phage demonstrates broad lytic activity and potential for infection control, addressing a critical healthcare challenge.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Bacteriophage Therapy
Background:
- Antimicrobial resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii poses a significant global health threat.
- Multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) phenotypes of A. baumannii lead to high mortality rates.
- There is an urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies to combat A. baumannii infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize bacteriophages with lytic activity against drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.
- To evaluate the potential of a specific phage, QAB 3.4, as a therapeutic agent and infection control tool.
Main Methods:
- Enrichment of phages against XDR clinical isolates of A. baumannii.
- Testing of potent phage QAB 3.4 against 100 clinical strains for lytic activity.
- Assessment of phage QAB 3.4's stability, resistance development potential, and efficacy as an infection control agent.
Main Results:
- Phage QAB 3.4 exhibited broad lytic activity against 100 MDR and XDR A. baumannii clinical isolates from diverse infection sites.
- Stability and resistance development assays indicated promising outcomes for clinical applications.
- Phage QAB 3.4 successfully eradicated A. baumannii from contaminated surfaces, demonstrating its potential as an eco-friendly infection control agent.
Conclusions:
- Phage QAB 3.4 is a promising candidate for A. baumannii infections.
- Further pre-clinical and clinical studies are warranted to evaluate the biosafety and efficacy of phage QAB 3.4.
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