Author(s): Brock Sheehan, Jake Wallin, Jeremy Wilson
Mentor(s): Ruhul Kuddus
Institution UVU
Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the WHO-designated six highest-priority antibiotic-resistant (ARB) pathogens. Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis and users of respirators, skin infections in people with burn injuries, and systemic infection in people with a poor immune system. Many pathogenic strains of P. aeruginosa are multi-drug resistant (MDR), and some are extensively drug-resistant (XDR). This study aimed to isolate bacteriophages that can be used for phage therapy to treat MDR and XDR infections caused by P. aeruginosa. Methods: The MDR P. aeruginosa strain Boston 41501 (ATCC27853) was obtained from ATCC (Manassas VA). The bacterium was used to screen lytic bacteriophages found in untreated wastewater using standard phage-enrichment agar overlay agar methods. Phages that created large clear plaques were purified to homogeneity and characterized. An isolated phage was then enriched for further characterization and analysis. Results: We isolated one strain of bacteriophage that rapidly kills the bacterial strain and creates large clear plaques (~3 mm in diameter). Results of our preliminary experiments indicate that the bacteriophage does not cause lysogenic infection and, thus, is suitable for phage therapy. We are currently sequencing the genome of the bacteriophage and planning a study of the virology and therapeutic utility of the bacteriophage. These promising findings highlight the potential of this phage as a viable option for combating antibiotic-resistant infections. Conclusions: Worldwide, about 90 clinical trials of phage therapy, including four in the United States, are underway, with more in the pipeline. We have isolated a lytic bacteriophage that can have the potential of phage therapy to treat infections caused by MDR strains of P. aeruginosa. Detailed studies on virology and clinical applicability of the phage are currently underway.