Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Strains Using Phage Therapy

Authors

  • Money Saxena
  • Manish Kumar
  • Swarup Kumar Panda
  • Manisha Singhai
  • Harinatha Reddy Aswarthagari
  • Ragunathan Muthuswamy

Keywords:

Bacteriophage therapy, antibiotic resistance, multidrug-resistant bacteria, biofilm disruption, murine model, therapeutic efficacy, public health

Abstract

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains poses significant challenges to public health, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the efficacy of bacteriophage therapy as an alternative treatment against multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus. Isolated bacteriophages demonstrated high lytic activity, achieving a bacterial reduction of up to 99% at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10. The biofilm disruption capability of phages was also assessed, revealing a reduction in biofilm mass by 70-85%. In vivo experiments in a murine model indicated that phage treatment improved survival rates to 80%, compared to 30% in the antibiotic-treated group and 0% in the untreated group. Moreover, a significant reduction in bacterial load was observed in the organs of phage-treated mice. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of bacteriophage therapy in managing MDR bacterial infections and highlight its ability to disrupt biofilms effectively. The study concludes that bacteriophages present a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics, potentially addressing the urgent need for new therapeutic approaches in the face of rising antibiotic resistance.

 

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Published

2025-04-26

How to Cite

1.
Saxena M, Kumar M, Panda SK, Singhai M, Aswarthagari HR, Muthuswamy R. Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Strains Using Phage Therapy. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2025Apr.26 [cited 2025Sep.21];14(6):624-31. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/4691

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 6 (2025): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

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