Proceedings of Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Conference 2021

Phage Therapy as an alternative treatment strategy against Pseudomonas Infections
Ramesh Nachimuthu, Prasanth Manohar
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is one of the most severe threats that has emerged in recent years. Antibiotic overuse is a significant contributor to the development of antibiotic resistance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an aerobic gram-negative bacterium. They cause clinical infections such as cystic fibrosis, endocarditis, pneumonia etc. Most P. aeruginosa clones have been resistant to available antibiotics, so seeking an alternative cure has become critical. Phage therapy, an age-old therapy, has the potential to be an outstanding medication for infectious diseases. Bacteriophage (Phage for short) was isolated from water samples obtained from sewage treatment plants in Coimbatore using an enrichment technique. The lifestyle pattern of isolated phages, as well as host range specificity, stability, and morphological characterization, were studied (transmission electron microscopy). Pseudomonas phage (PA pnr01) had a 33.3% (20/60) host range against different clinical strains of P. aeruginosa. Lifecycle analysis showed an adsorption time of 45 mins and a latency period of 80 minutes was required for single multiplication cycle. This phage was found to have a larger burst size of 125 phage particle per cycle. In addition, phage was able to withstand a higher temperature of 60 ℃ and stable over a wide pH range of 4 to 11. Microscopic examination of PA_pnr01 depicted the phage belongs to Siphoviridae family. The time kill assay revealed that the phage is capable of fully eradicating the bacteria in 12 hours. In vitro biofilm clearing demonstrated that phage successfully removed the biofilm cells in 24 hrs. The isolated phage PA_pnr01 outperformed clinical strains in terms of therapeutic efficacy, and it can be used to treat P. aeruginosa infections.

Last modified: 2021-06-27
Building: TASME Center
Room: Science Hall
Date: July 3, 2021 - 11:05 AM – 11:20 AM

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