Kelly Hoerger, University of Utah
Physical Science
Implant devices such as orthopedic, dental, and cochlear implants are commonly utilized as part of many medical treatments. However, these foreign objects are susceptible to bacterial contamination, thereby putting the host at risk of an infection that is challenging to eliminate due to biofilm formation. Biofilms are formed when a bacterial cell adheres to and colonizes such metal or plastic surfaces. The cells aggregate to form and embed themselves in a thick and protective polysaccharide matrix, making biofilms resistant to many antibiotic treatments.
Staphylococcal bacteria cause the majority of implant infections. Research using phage therapy against Staphylococcus aureus has been conducted in our lab to test it as an alternative or complimentary approach to antibiotic treatments. Bacteriophage are viruses that kill and lyse the bacterial host. Using Staph aureus biofilms we have found that combining Staph phage K and vancomycin (an antibiotic) given in liquid form, produce better results than as separate treatments (i.e., Staph phage K alone or vancomycin alone). We are currently investigating the use of a localized topical treatment on a biofilm, in an in-vitro model, to avoid the systemic use of antibiotics.
We are testing combinations of Staph phage K and vancomycin embedded in a hydrogel to determine their efficacy against a 48-hour Staph aureus biofilm. The biofilm is grown on a Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) mesh – a material commonly used in manufacturing many medical devices. Agarose, a gel-like material, will be embedded with the proposed treatment and serve as the local delivery system as it readily adheres to surfaces. This study is designed to compare the effectiveness of the combination of phage and vancomycin treatment to the individual treatments alone, at reducing the bacterial load on a biofilm in an in-vitro model.