Proceedings of 27th Annual Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Conference 2023

Therapeutic Characterization of Bacteriophage against multidrug resistant clinical pathogens
Aparajita BISWAS
Abstract
Interest in alternatives to traditional antimicrobials has increased as a result of the advent of numerous drug-resistant microorganisms. In the current climate of microorganisms that are resistant to antibiotics, bacteriophage therapy is a significant option. Since 1966, bacteriophages have been employed as antibacterial agents and have contributed significantly to the development of molecular biology. Klebsiella spp. infections are rapidly transmitted across a hospital setting and hence, it has been recognized as a dangerous nosocomial pathogen that is the cause of numerous life-threatening illnesses. The research mainly focuses on the isolation and the thorough characterization of a lytic bacteriophage that was extracted from a sewage sample that was collected in Vellore, India, against a collection of multi-drug resistant Klebsiella species from the Antibiotic Resistance & Bacteriophage Therapy lab, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, that had been obtained from clinical samples from patients, to study effective and possible treatment against such host infections that could not treated with any antibiotic. Using the clinical samples, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) technique and disc diffusion were used to assess drug resistance to various drugs. The mixed population of bacteriophages was isolated from the sewage sample. A single phage was isolated from the group of other bacteriophages and was then purified, multiplied, and characterized as a bacteriophage against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella spp. A life cycle analysis that included an adsorption assay and a latency assay was conducted to further characterize phages. The phage isolated named disc phage, had a high titer value in its natural state, as determined by a series of spot tests and double agar overlay methods (i.e., 3.6 x 1015 PFU/ml) and a range of stability studies showed activity at high temperatures (-20°C to 65°C) and a broad pH range (3-11), making it suitably stable for various therapeutic purposes. It was determined further, that the phage had an adsorption time of 20 minutes, latency period of 16 minutes, and burst size of approximately 1.4*10^7 PFU/ml. According to time kill assay studies, the disc phage at MOI 1-100 can infect and lower bacterial load in a very short time scale after infection, depending on the titer. These findings highlight the potential of quickly isolating and characterizing the bacteriophage as a low-cost and effective source of treatment for MDR-based diseases.The study also raises concerns that the prevalence of multidrug resistance may aid in the spread of Klebsiella spp. infections in hospitals, posing a significant risk to healthcare professionals. Therefore, if antibiotics are ineffective in treating MDR Klebsiella infections, bacteriophages may be suggested.

Last modified: 2023-06-17
Building: SickKids Hospital / University of Toronto
Room: Medicine Hall
Date: July 1, 2023 - 03:35 PM – 03:50 PM

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