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Updated: Sep 2, 2025
Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
Published on: May 8, 2013
Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus strains to commercial therapeutic phage preparations
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to determine the susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus strains to commercial phage preparations. The strains were isolated from clinical patients as well as from nasal mucosa of healthy carriers.
Background:
The elevating number of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus strains present a therapeutic challenge, especially in high-risk patients. One of the promising ways to solve this problem is phage therapy.
Methods:
Susceptibility of 111 carrier strains of S. aureus (4 strains were methicillin-resistant; MRSA) and 81 clinical isolates from bloodstream or skin and soft tissue infections (28 were MRSA) to four commercial phage preparations was assessed in vitro by spot assay. The clonality of S. aureus strains was determined by spa typing.
Results:
Spa typing revealed 97 distinct spa types. A proportion of 73-80 % of the tested S. aureus strains were revealed to have in vitro phage susceptibility, depending on the clonal affiliation of the strains and phage preparation tested. The susceptibility to phage preparations was significantly higher in MRSA strains (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
In vitro results indicate a promising therapeutic potential of the tested commercial anti-staphylococcal phage preparations. They could be applied to a broad spectrum of bacterial clones, and have an excellent activity especially against MRSA strains (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 43).
Insights
Commercial phage preparations show promising efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, including antibiotic-resistant strains. This study found broad-spectrum activity, particularly against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Area of Science:
- Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
- Bacteriophage Therapy
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains poses a significant therapeutic challenge.
- Phage therapy is emerging as a promising alternative strategy to combat these resistant bacterial infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the in vitro susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus strains to commercially available phage preparations.
- To assess the efficacy of these phage preparations against both clinical isolates and strains from healthy carriers.
Main Methods:
- Susceptibility testing of 111 carrier and 81 clinical Staphylococcus aureus strains (including MRSA) against four commercial phage preparations using in vitro spot assays.
- Determination of bacterial clonality through spa typing to analyze strain diversity.
Main Results:
- Approximately 73-80% of Staphylococcus aureus strains exhibited in vitro susceptibility to the tested phage preparations.
- Susceptibility varied based on clonal type and specific phage preparation used.
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains demonstrated significantly higher susceptibility to phage preparations (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Commercial anti-staphylococcal phage preparations show considerable therapeutic potential.
- These preparations exhibit broad-spectrum activity against diverse bacterial clones.
- Phage preparations demonstrated excellent efficacy against MRSA strains, highlighting their potential in clinical applications.
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