Phage therapy as a revolutionary medicine against Gram-positive bacterial infections

Abstract

Background Antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria has created a global emergency, prompting the hunt for an alternative cure. Bacteriophages were discovered over a century ago and have proven to be a successful replacement during antibiotic treatment failure. This review discusses on the scientific investigation of phage therapy for Gram-positive pathogens and general outlook of phage therapy clinical trials and commercialization. Main body of the abstract This review aimed to highlight the phage therapy in Gram-positive bacteria and the need for phage therapy in the future. Phage therapy to treat Gram-positive bacterial infections is in use for a very long time. However, limited review on the phage efficacy in Gram-positive bacteria exists. The natural efficiency and potency of bacteriophages against bacterial strains have been advantageous amidst the other non-antibiotic agents. The use of phages to treat oral biofilm, skin infection, and recurrent infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria has emerged as a predominant research area in recent years. In addition, the upsurge in research in the area of phage therapy for spore-forming Gram-positive bacteria has added a wealth of information to phage therapy. Short conclusion We conclude that the need of phage as an alternative treatment is obvious in future. However, phage therapy can be used as reserve treatment. This review focuses on the potential use of phage therapy in treating Gram-positive bacterial infections, as well as their therapeutic aspects. Furthermore, we discussed the difficulties in commercializing phage drugs and their problems as a breakthrough medicine.

Administration of Bacteriophages via Nebulization during Mechanical Ventilation: In Vitro Study and Lung Deposition in Macaques

“…Bacteriophage-inhaled therapy is a potential treatment against VAP-PA, and it is considered as an antibiotherapy alternative or complementary treatment [ 42 ] but still reserved for compassionate use, while the regulatory requirements for clinical applications and prescriptions are still in progress. A preclinical porcine model of VAP-PA demonstrated the efficacy of a specific anti-pseudomonal phage mix administered via nebulization [ 19 ].…”

The role of bacteriophages in shaping bacterial composition and diversity in the human gut

“…The global healthcare system is currently being challenged by antibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms, thus causing researchers across the globe to search for new modified antibiotics ( Loganathan et al, 2021 ; Shuwen and Kefeng, 2022 ). However, it is a daunting task to search for new antibiotics, which may take numerous years to achieve.…”

“…The use of phage for therapeutic purposes has several advantages over the use of conventional antibiotics owing to their properties and the options they provide to clinicians ( Loc-Carrillo and Abedon, 2011 ). Depending on the densities of bacterial species, phages, during the lysis of the bacterial host, have the ability to multiply in large numbers, especially in places where the bacterial host is located, a phenomenon known as “auto dosing,” since the phages are the ones responsible for this large increase in phage populations within a short period of time ( Loganathan et al, 2021 ). Although reports have been made that phages are specific in the type of host they infect.…”

“…This is in contrast to conventional antibiotics, where they have been reported to command a broader range of antibacterial activity, thereby promoting superinfections such as yeast infections caused by Candida albicans or colitis caused by C. difficile . The fact that phages have a relatively narrow range of hosts has made selection for the development of a phage-resistant mechanism limited to specific phage species ( Loc-Carrillo and Abedon, 2011 ; Loganathan et al, 2021 ). For example, collateral damage was not recorded in other bacterial communities when a mouse model infected with diarrhea-causing E. coli was treated with T4-like phages ( Principi et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Bacteria that form biofilms tend to have added advantages in terms of resisting the actions of antibiotics. Phages, on the other hand, have been demonstrated to possess the ability to penetrate (i.e., penetrating one bacterial cell layer at a time through lysis) or clear bacterial biofilm using depolymerases and exopolymer-degrading enzymes ( Loganathan et al, 2021 ). Like antibiotics, phages are versatile as they can be formulated into varying forms (i.e., impregnated in solid materials, added to creams, or even formulated into liquid) during development.…”