Bacteriophage therapy and current delivery strategies for orthopedic infections: A SCOPING review

Interest in phages as adjunctive therapy to treat difficult infections has grown in the last decade. However, phage dosing and delivery for orthopedic infections have not been systematically summarized.

Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a SCOPING review through September 1st, 2023, of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, and Cochrane Central.

In total, 77 studies were included, of which 19 (24.7%) were in vitro studies, 17 (22.1%) were animal studies, and 41 (53.2%) were studies in humans. A total of 137 contemporary patients receiving phage therapy are described.

Direct phage delivery remains the most studied form of phage therapy, notably in prosthetic joint infections, osteomyelitis, and diabetic foot ulcers. Available evidence describing phage therapy in humans suggests favorable outcomes for orthopedic infections, though this evidence is composed largely of low-level descriptive studies. Several phage delivery devices have been described, though a lack of comparative and in-human evidence limits their therapeutic application. Limitations to the use of phage therapy for orthopedic infections that need to be overcome include a lack of understanding related to optimal dosing and phage pharmacokinetics, bacterial heterogeneity in an infection episode, and phage therapy toxicity.