Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2025

Bacteriophage Effectiveness for Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Evaluated via High-Throughput Settings
07:22

Bacteriophage Effectiveness for Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Evaluated via High-Throughput Settings

Published on: August 19, 2021

2.9K

Bacteriophage Therapy as a Promising Alternative for Antibiotic-Resistant Enterococcus faecium: Advances and

Laura Ribes-Martínez1,2,3, Maria-Carmen Muñoz-Egea1,2, Jose Yuste3,4,5

  • 1Clinical Microbiology Department, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.

Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 8, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Bacteriophage therapy shows promise against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infections. This approach offers a potential alternative to antibiotics, effectively targeting resistant bacterial strains and biofilms.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Enterococcus faecium is a significant nosocomial pathogen.
  • Antibiotic resistance, especially vancomycin resistance (VRE), presents major treatment challenges.
  • Phage therapy is being explored as an alternative therapeutic strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advancements in bacteriophage therapy against antibiotic-resistant E. faecium.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of phage therapy in various models and clinical settings.
  • To discuss challenges and future directions for phage therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of literature on phage morphology, genomics, and infection mechanisms.
  • Evaluation of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies on phage therapy efficacy.
  • Analysis of clinical case reports and compassionate use data.

Main Results:

  • Phage therapy demonstrates specificity and bactericidal potential against E. faecium.
  • Promising outcomes observed with phage-antibiotic synergies and biofilm disruption.
  • Successful compassionate use cases highlight clinical potential.

Conclusions:

  • Phage therapy is a viable alternative for managing multidrug-resistant E. faecium infections.
  • Further research is crucial to optimize therapeutic efficacy and overcome bacterial resistance.
  • Enhancing clinical applications requires continued investigation into phage-host interactions.
Keywords:
Enterococcus faeciumalternative therapyantibiotic resistancebacteriophagecombination therapymultidrug resistancephage therapyvancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice08:46

Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice

Published on: January 26, 2024

1.5K
Phage Therapy Application to Counteract Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Zebrafish Embryos11:20

Phage Therapy Application to Counteract Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Zebrafish Embryos

Published on: May 12, 2020

6.5K

Related Concept Videos

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the...
70.3K
Biological Methods for Microbial Control01:28

Biological Methods for Microbial Control

Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
61.8K
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
1.4K