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Updated: Jul 9, 2025
Phage Therapy Application to Counteract Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Zebrafish Embryos
Published on: May 12, 2020
Studying Bacteriophage Efficacy Using a Zebrafish Model
Marco Cafora1, Alessia Brix1, Francesca Forti2
1Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
The rise of bacteria resistant to the antibiotics currently in use (multiple drug-resistant, MDR) is a serious problem for patients affected by infections. This situation is even more worrying in the case of chronic bacterial infections, such as those caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa), in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). As an alternative to antibiotic treatments, the use of bacteriophages (phages) to fight bacterial infections has gained increasing interest in the last few years. Phages are viruses that specifically infect and multiply within the bacteria without infecting eukaryotic cells. It is well assumed that phage therapy has a high bacterial specificity, which, unlike antibiotics, should limit the damage to the endogenous microbiome. In addition, phages can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria and perform self-amplification at the site of the infection.The protocol detailed in this chapter describes how the antimicrobial effect of phages can be studied in vivo in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model infected with Pa. The same procedure can be applied to test the effectiveness of several different phages killing other bacterial species and for the rapid preclinical testing of phages to be used as personalized medicine.
Insights
Bacteriophages (phages) offer a promising alternative to antibiotics for treating drug-resistant bacterial infections, especially in cystic fibrosis patients. This study details a zebrafish model for testing phage efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Rising antibiotic resistance (multiple drug-resistant bacteria) poses a significant threat to patient health.
- Chronic infections, like those caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients, are particularly challenging.
- Bacteriophages (phages) are emerging as a viable alternative to conventional antibiotics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail a protocol for studying the in vivo antimicrobial effect of phages.
- To evaluate phage efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a zebrafish infection model.
- To establish a method for rapid preclinical testing of phages for personalized medicine.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model for in vivo infection studies.
- Infected zebrafish with Pseudomonas aeruginosa to mimic bacterial infections.
- Administered bacteriophages to assess their antimicrobial effect in a living organism.
Main Results:
- The described protocol allows for in vivo assessment of phage antimicrobial activity.
- The zebrafish model is suitable for studying phage therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- The method can be adapted for testing various phages against different bacterial species.
Conclusions:
- Phage therapy presents a specific and potentially self-amplifying approach to combatting bacterial infections.
- The zebrafish model provides a rapid and effective platform for preclinical evaluation of phage efficacy.
- This protocol supports the development of phage-based personalized medicine strategies.
