Bacteriophage – Delivering Hydrogel offers simultaneous promise against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causing bedsore and diabetic wounds

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has become endemic today in hospitals worldwide. Currently, any particular antibiotic cannot be recommended for treating MRSA. Phage therapy has gained interest as an alternative treatment for MRSA infections. Hydrogels resemble living tissues by holding a high proportion of water content within its matrix, providing optimal environment for accommodating proteins, living cells and other biomolecules. In this study the antibiofilm effect of Bacteriophage – delivering Hydrogel in vitro and in vivo using an experimental mouse wound infection model was investigated.MATERIALS AND METHODSBacteriophage was isolated from hospital sewage. Lytic activity and the titers of phage lysates were measured using spot test and double-layer plaque assay. The phage characterization was determined through transmission electron microscopy. Adsorption rate, host range and stability tests were investigated. The latent period and burst size were estimated from a one-step growth curve. The effect of bacteriophage against MRSA biofilms was determined.The chitosan based hydrogel containing bacteriophage has been developed as bioresorbable local bacteriophage delivery system.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONTEM results showed that the phage resembled the Cystoviridae family. Its latent period was ۳۰ min, corresponding to about ۷۱/۴۳ phage particles per infected cell. The phage had a broad host range and it was most stable at ۳۷°C and pH ۷. It was sensitive to NaCl concentrations. Release of phage from hydrogel was gradual and consistent over ۲۱ days. The hydrogel achieved a ۵.۳-fold reduction in live MRSA counts at the infection site compared to bacteriophage-free hydrogel.CONCLUSION These results support the development of bacteriophage-delivering hydrogels to treat MRSA biofilm associated infections.

کلیدواژه ها:

bacteriophage ، biofilm ، hydrogel ، MRSA