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Bozidis P, Markou E, Gouni A, Gartzonika K. Does Phage Therapy Need a Pan-Phage? Pathogens 2024; 13:522. [PMID: 38921819 PMCID: PMC11206709 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is undoubtedly one of the most serious global health threats. One response to this threat that has been gaining momentum over the past decade is 'phage therapy'. According to this, lytic bacteriophages are used for the treatment of bacterial infections, either alone or in combination with antimicrobial agents. However, to ensure the efficacy and broad applicability of phage therapy, several challenges must be overcome. These challenges encompass the development of methods and strategies for the host range manipulation and bypass of the resistance mechanisms developed by pathogenic bacteria, as has been the case since the advent of antibiotics. As our knowledge and understanding of the interactions between phages and their hosts evolves, the key issue is to define the host range for each application. In this article, we discuss the factors that affect host range and how this determines the classification of phages into different categories of action. For each host range group, recent representative examples are provided, together with suggestions on how the different groups can be used to combat certain types of bacterial infections. The available methodologies for host range expansion, either through sequential adaptation to a new pathogen or through genetic engineering techniques, are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Bozidis
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Eleftheria Markou
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Athanasia Gouni
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Konstantina Gartzonika
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
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Markusková B, Elnwrani S, Andrezál M, Sedláčková T, Szemes T, Slobodníková L, Kajsik M, Drahovská H. Characterization of bacteriophages infecting multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains. Arch Virol 2024; 169:142. [PMID: 38851653 PMCID: PMC11162368 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-024-06063-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the most common causative agent of urinary tract infections, and strains that are resistant to antibiotics are a major problem in treating these infections. Phage therapy is a promising alternative approach that can be used to treat infections caused by polyresistant bacterial strains. In the present study, 16 bacteriophages isolated from sewage and surface water were investigated. Phage host specificity was tested on a collection of 77 UPEC strains. The phages infected 2-44 strains, and 80% of the strains were infected by at least one phage. The susceptible E. coli strains belonged predominantly to the B2 phylogenetic group, including strains of two clones, CC131 and CC73, that have a worldwide distribution. All of the phages belonged to class Caudoviricetes and were identified as members of the families Straboviridae, Autographiviridae, and Drexlerviridae and the genera Kagunavirus, Justusliebigvirus, and Murrayvirus. A phage cocktail composed of six phages - four members of the family Straboviridae and two members of the family Autographiviridae - was prepared, and its antibacterial activity was tested in liquid medium. Complete suppression of bacterial growth was observed after 5-22 hours of cultivation, followed by partial regrowth. At 24 hours postinfection, the cocktail suppressed bacterial growth to 43-92% of control values. Similar results were obtained when testing the activity of the phage cocktail in LB and in artificial urine medium. The results indicate that our phage cocktail has potential to inhibit bacterial growth during infection, and they will therefore be preserved in the national phage bank, serving as valuable resources for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Markusková
- University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Sulafa Elnwrani
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Andrezál
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tatiana Sedláčková
- University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tomáš Szemes
- University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lívia Slobodníková
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava and University Hospital Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Kajsik
- University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Hana Drahovská
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Padmesh S, Singh A, Chopra S, Sen M, Habib S, Shrivastava D, Johri P. Isolation and characterization of novel lytic bacteriophages that infect multi drug resistant clinical strains of Escherichia coli. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-28081-z. [PMID: 37347328 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28081-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) are frequent cause of urinary tract infections including catheter-associated, soft tissue infections and sepsis. The growing antibiotic resistance in E. coli is a major health concern. Bacteriophages are specific for their bacterial host, thus providing a novel and effective alternatives. This study focuses on isolation of bacteriophages from urban sewage treatment plants. Initially 50 different bacteriophages have been isolated against non-resistant reference E. coli strain and fifty multidrug resistant clinical isolates of extraintestinal infections. Out of which only thirty-one lytic phages which gave clear plaques were further analysed for different physico-chemical aspects such as thermal inactivation, pH, effect of organic solvents and detergents. Two bacteriophages, ASEC2201 and ASEC2202, were selected for their ability to withstand temperature fluctuation from -20 to 62 °C and a pH range from 4 to 10. They also showed good survival (40-94%) in the presence of organic solvents like ethanol, acetone, DMSO and chloroform or ability to form plaques even after the treatment with detergents like SDS, CTAB and sarkosyl. Both efficiently killed reference strain and 40-44% of multidrug resistant clinical isolates of E. coli. Later ASEC2201 and ASEC2202 were subjected to morphological characterisation through transmission electron microscopy, which revealed them to be tailed phages. The genomic analysis confirmed them to be Escherichia phages which belonged to family Drexlerviridae of Caudovirales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhakar Padmesh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, 226028, India
| | - Aditi Singh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, 226028, India.
| | - Sidharth Chopra
- Division of Microbiology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, 226031, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Manodeep Sen
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226010, India
| | - Saman Habib
- Division of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, 226031, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Deepti Shrivastava
- Division of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, 226031, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Parul Johri
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology for Handicapped, Kanpur, 208024, India
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Nicolas M, Trotereau A, Culot A, Moodley A, Atterbury R, Wagemans J, Lavigne R, Velge P, Schouler C. Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Phage Collection against Avian-Pathogenic Escherichia coli. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0429622. [PMID: 37140373 PMCID: PMC10269720 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04296-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase in antibiotic-resistant avian-pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), the causative agent of colibacillosis in poultry, warrants urgent research and the development of alternative therapies. This study describes the isolation and characterization of 19 genetically diverse, lytic coliphages, 8 of which were tested in combination for their efficacy in controlling in ovo APEC infections. Genome homology analysis revealed that the phages belong to nine different genera, one of them being a novel genus (Nouzillyvirus). One phage, REC, was derived from a recombination event between two Phapecoctavirus phages (ESCO5 and ESCO37) isolated in this study. Twenty-six of the 30 APEC strains tested were lysed by at least one phage. Phages exhibited varying infectious capacities, with narrow to broad host ranges. The broad host range of some phages could be partially explained by the presence of receptor-binding protein carrying a polysaccharidase domain. To demonstrate their therapeutic potential, a phage cocktail consisting of eight phages belonging to eight different genera was tested against BEN4358, an APEC O2 strain. In vitro, this phage cocktail fully inhibited the growth of BEN4358. In a chicken lethality embryo assay, the phage cocktail enabled 90% of phage-treated embryos to survive infection with BEN4358, compared with 0% of nontreated embryos, indicating that these novel phages are good candidates to successfully treat colibacillosis in poultry. IMPORTANCE Colibacillosis, the most common bacterial disease affecting poultry, is mainly treated by antibiotics. Due to the increased prevalence of multidrug-resistant avian-pathogenic Escherichia coli, there is an urgent need to assess the efficacy of alternatives to antibiotherapy, such as phage therapy. Here, we have isolated and characterized 19 coliphages that belong to nine phage genera. We showed that a combination of 8 of these phages was efficacious in vitro to control the growth of a clinical isolate of E. coli. Used in ovo, this phage combination allowed embryos to survive APEC infection. Thus, this phage combination represents a promising treatment for avian colibacillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Arshnee Moodley
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Robert Atterbury
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Wagemans
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Śliwka P, Weber-Dąbrowska B, Żaczek M, Kuźmińska-Bajor M, Dusza I, Skaradzińska A. Characterization and Comparative Genomic Analysis of Three Virulent E. coli Bacteriophages with the Potential to Reduce Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in the Environment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065696. [PMID: 36982770 PMCID: PMC10059673 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging global crisis of antibiotic resistance demands new alternative antibacterial solutions. Although bacteriophages have been used to combat bacterial infections for over a century, a dramatic boost in phage studies has recently been observed. In the development of modern phage applications, a scientific rationale is strongly required and newly isolated phages need to be examined in detail. In this study, we present the full characterization of bacteriophages BF9, BF15, and BF17, with lytic activity against extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)- and AmpC β-lactamases (AmpC)-producing Escherichia coli, the prevalence of which has increased significantly in livestock in recent decades, representing a great hazard to food safety and a public health risk. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis indicated that BF9, BF15, and BF17 represent the genera Dhillonvirus, Tequatrovirus, and Asteriusvirus, respectively. All three phages significantly reduced in vitro growth of their bacterial host and retained the ability to lyse bacteria after preincubation at wide ranges of temperature (−20–40 °C) and pH (5–9). The results described herein indicate the lytic nature of BF9, BF15, and BF17, which, along with the absence of genes encoding toxins and bacterial virulence factors, represents an undoubted asset in terms of future phage application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Śliwka
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Beata Weber-Dąbrowska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
- Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Maciej Żaczek
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marta Kuźmińska-Bajor
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Izabela Dusza
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Aneta Skaradzińska
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-71-320-7791
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Abdulhussein AA, O. Abdulsattar B. Isolation and characterization of two novel phages as a possible therapeutic alternative against multi-drug resistant E. coli. GENE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2022.101644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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7
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Phascinating Phages. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071365. [PMID: 35889083 PMCID: PMC9320029 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of infections caused by bacteria has become more complex due to the increasing number of bacterial strains that are resistant to conventional antimicrobial therapy. A highly promising alternative appears to be bacteriophage (phage) therapy, in which natural predators of bacteria, bacteriophages, play a role. Although these viruses were first discovered in 1917, the development of phage therapy was impacted by the discovery of antibiotics, which spread more quickly and effectively in medical practice. Despite this, phage therapy has a long history in Eastern Europe; however, Western countries are currently striving to reintroduce phage therapy as a tool in the fight against diseases caused by drug-resistant bacteria. This review describes phage biology, bacterial and phage competition mechanisms, and the benefits and drawbacks of phage therapy. The results of various laboratory experiments, and clinical cases where phage therapy was administered, are described.
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