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APTC-C-SA01: A Novel Bacteriophage Cocktail Targeting Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA Biofilms
Sha Liu1,2, Karen Hon1,2, George Spyro Bouras1,2
1Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|June 10, 2022
Summary
New bacteriophages (phages) show promise for treating MRSA infections. A cocktail of four lytic phages effectively reduced bacterial biofilms and generated fewer resistant mutants, offering a potential alternative to antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacteriophage Therapy
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a significant public health threat due to high infection and mortality rates.
- The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.
- Bacteriophages offer a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize Staphylococcus aureus phages.
- To evaluate the efficacy of these phages against methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and MRSA biofilms.
- To assess the potential of a phage cocktail for treating S. aureus infections.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and characterization of S. aureus phages from clinical and environmental sources.
- Assessment of phage stability, morphology (TEM), and genomic sequencing.
- Evaluation of bactericidal activity against MSSA and MRSA biofilms.
- Determination of host range, latent period, and burst size.
- Analysis of bacteriophage insensitive mutant (BIM) generation.
Main Results:
- Four S. aureus phages were isolated with broad individual host ranges (82-94%) and >98% combined.
- Phages significantly reduced the viability of S. aureus biofilms.
- TEM identified phages as belonging to the Myoviridae family; genomic sequencing confirmed their lytic nature without resistance or virulence genes.
- The phage cocktail APTC-C-SA01 demonstrated high strain complementarity (96%) and a lower frequency of BIM generation compared to individual phages.
Conclusions:
- The isolated lytic S. aureus phages, particularly in the APTC-C-SA01 cocktail, show significant potential for treating MSSA and MRSA infections.
- Bacteriophage therapy presents a viable alternative to antibiotics for combating resistant S. aureus strains.
- Further development of APTC-C-SA01 is warranted for clinical application against S. aureus infections.
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