Combination of phages and antibiotics with enhanced killing efficacy against dual-species bacterial communities in a three-dimensional lung epithelial model.

and are opportunistic pathogens commonly found in biofilm-associated polymicrobial respiratory infections that are challenging to control. Studies performed in laboratory standard conditions suggest that bacterio(phages) and antibiotic combinations are more active against bacterial communities and biofilms than each agent alone. The purpose of this work was to study the antibacterial efficacy of phage-antibiotic combinations using an -like three-dimensional lung epithelial model that mimics aspects of the parental tissue, colonized by a mixed bacterial community of and .

CRISPR-Cas9 engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae for endolysin delivery to combat Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeriosis is an infection caused by the consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. It leads to febrile gastroenteritis, central nervous system infections, and even death in risk populations. Bacteriophage endolysins selectively kill bacteria hydrolyzing their cell walls and have emerged as a potential tool for listeriosis control.

Successful bacteriophage therapy of pyoderma caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in a dog.

Pyoderma caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius poses significant challenges to canine health. Successful therapy requires an integrated approach to prudent antimicrobial use. This report describes the successful treatment of a dog with generalised superficial pyoderma using a topical formulation of S.

Exploring in vitro efficacy of rCHAPk with antibiotic combinations, and promising findings of its therapeutic potential for clinical-originated MRSA wound infection.

The increasing threat of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, which rapidly develops multidrug resistance and commonly colonizes wound surfaces, demands innovative strategies. Phage-encoded endolysins offer a dual-purpose approach as topical therapies for infectious skin wounds and synergistic agents to reduce high-dose antibiotic dependence. This study explores recombinant CHAPk (rCHAPk), efficiently synthesized within 3 h, displaying broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against 10 Gram-positive strains, including resistant variants, with rapid bactericidal kinetics.

Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci phages panorama: Genomic diversity and in vitro studies for a therapeutic use.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are commensal bacteria of the human skin and mucosal membranes. The incidence of nosocomial infections caused by these species is on the rise, leading to a potential increase in antibiotic tolerance and resistance. Phages are emerging as a promising alternative to combat CoNS infections.

Screening and in silico characterization of prophages in Helicobacter pylori clinical strains.

The increase of antibiotic resistance calls for alternatives to control Helicobacter pylori, a Gram-negative bacterium associated with various gastric diseases. Bacteriophages (phages) can be highly effective in the treatment of pathogenic bacteria. Here, we developed a method to identify prophages in H.

Phage SEP1 hijacks stationary cells' metabolism to replicate.

In nature, bacteria often survive in a stationary state with low metabolic activity. Phages use the metabolic machinery of the host cell to replicate, and, therefore, their efficacy against non-dividing cells is usually limited. Nevertheless, it was previously shown that the phage SEP1 has the remarkable capacity to actively replicate in stationary-phase cells, reducing their numbers.

Phage-Host Interaction Analysis Using Flow Cytometry.

Phage-host interactions are commonly evaluated by culture-based methods. However, these techniques are very laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, other time-efficient, not labor-intensive, and cost-effective methods have been developed.

Isolation and Characterization of the Members BigMira and MidiMira Infecting a Highly Pathogenic Strain.

is an opportunistic pathogen and is responsible for more than 40% of all cases of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Healthcare-associated infections have been aggravated by the constant emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Because of this, the use of phages to combat bacterial infections gained renewed interest.

Combining phages and antibiotic to enhance antibiofilm efficacy against an dual species wound biofilm.

Chronic wound management is extremely challenging because of the persistence of biofilm-forming pathogens, such as and , which are the prevailing bacterial species that co-infect chronic wounds. Phage therapy has gained an increased interest to treat biofilm-associated infections, namely when combined with antibiotics. Here, we tested the effect of gentamicin as a co-adjuvant of phages in a dual species-biofilm wound model formed on artificial dermis.

Fighting Methicillin-Resistant with Targeted Nanoparticles.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered one of the greatest threats to global health. Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) remains at the core of this threat, accounting for about 90% of infections widespread in the community and hospital settings. In recent years, the use of nanoparticles (NPs) has emerged as a promising strategy to treat MRSA infections.

Aptasensor for the Detection of Adhesin UspA2.

Innovative point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic platforms are desirable to surpass the deficiencies of conventional laboratory diagnostic methods for bacterial infections and to tackle the growing antimicrobial resistance crisis. In this study, a workflow was implemented, comprising the identification of new aptamers with high affinity for the ubiquitous surface protein A2 (UspA2) of the bacterial pathogen and the development of an electrochemical biosensor functionalized with the best-performing aptamer as a bioreceptor to detect UspA2. After cell-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (cell-SELEX) was performed, next-generation sequencing was used to sequence the final aptamer pool.

Electrochemical Aptasensor for the Detection of the Key Virulence Factor YadA of .

New point-of-care (POC) diagnosis of bacterial infections are imperative to overcome the deficiencies of conventional methods, such as culture and molecular methods. In this study, we identified new aptamers that bind to the virulence factor Yersinia adhesin A (YadA) of Yersinia enterocolitica using cell-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (cell-SELEX). Escherichia coli expressing YadA on the cell surface was used as a target cell.

Analysis of intact prophages in genomes of : An important pathogen for bees.

is the etiological agent of American Foulbrood (AFB), a highly contagious and worldwide spread bacterial disease that affects honeybee brood. In this study, all complete genomes available on the NCBI database were analyzed in order to detect presence of prophages using the PHASTER software. A total of 55 intact prophages were identified in 11 genomes (5.

Characterization and Genomic Analysis of a New Phage Infecting .

, a significant human gastric pathogen, has been demonstrating increased antibiotic resistance, causing difficulties in infection treatment. It is therefore important to develop alternatives or complementary approaches to antibiotics to tackle infections, and (bacterio)phages have proven to be effective antibacterial agents. In this work, prophage isolation was attempted using strains and UV radiation.

New Insights on Biofilm Antimicrobial Strategies, 2nd Volume.

In biofilms, microorganisms are able to communicate together and assemble by themselves, creating a consortium with different properties from the original free-floating microorganisms [...

Phage-Host Interaction Analysis by Flow Cytometry Allows for Rapid and Efficient Screening of Phages.

Recently, phages have become popular as an alternative to antibiotics. This increased demand for phage therapy needs rapid and efficient methods to screen phages infecting specific hosts. Existing methods are time-consuming, and for clinical purposes, novel, quick, and reliable screening methods are highly needed.

Targeted Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy of Biofilm-Embedded and Intracellular Staphylococci with a Phage Endolysin's Cell Binding Domain.

Bacterial pathogens are progressively adapting to current antimicrobial therapies with severe consequences for patients and global health care systems. This is critically underscored by the rise of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other biofilm-forming staphylococci. Accordingly, alternative strategies have been explored to fight such highly multidrug resistant microorganisms, including antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and phage therapy.

infection: from standard to alternative treatment strategies.

is the major component of the gastric microbiome of infected individuals and one of the aetiological factors of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The increasing resistance to antibiotics worldwide has made the treatment of infection a challenge. As a way to overhaul the efficacy of currently used antibiotic-based eradication therapies, alternative treatment strategies are being devised.

Understanding the Complex Phage-Host Interactions in Biofilm Communities.

Bacteriophages and bacterial biofilms are widely present in natural environments, a fact that has accelerated the evolution of phages and their bacterial hosts in these particular niches. Phage-host interactions in biofilm communities are rather complex, where phages are not always merely predators but also can establish symbiotic relationships that induce and strengthen biofilms. In this review we provide an overview of the main features affecting phage-biofilm interactions as well as the currently available methods of studying these interactions.

New Insights on Biofilm Antimicrobial Strategies.

Over the last few decades, the study of microbial biofilms has been gaining interest among the scientific community [...