Researchers from the University of Florida College of Medicine are using a new strategy to combat bacterial infections. They're using viruses to attack them. The results are reported today at the 100th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
"We are conducting this research to examine the possible use of bacteriophages, viruses that infect and kill bacteria, to treat infected humans," says Dr. Paul Gulig, one of the researchers. "The studies presented here describe our initial studies in treating Vibrio vulnificus infection in a mouse model of disease."
V. vulnificus is a bacterium that commonly contaminates oysters and can cause a rapid, life-threatening infection in some humans who eat contaminated oysters. In their study, the researchers injected mice with both the bacterium and a bacteriophage that was known to be deadly to the bacterium. Most of the mice survived what would normally be a fatal infection.
"This result demonstrates that bacteriophages can be used to prevent both local and systemic infection caused by a bacterial pathogen in an animal model of disease," says Gulig.
Bacteriophage therapy can have significant benefits to traditional antibiotic therapy. With the continuing rise in antibiotic-resistance in bacteria, this new therapy offers an effective alternative. In addition, bacteriophage therapy theoretically requires only a single dose. Since the viruses replicate inside their target bacteria, they will continue to exist in the body until the infection is eradicated. Antibiotics, on the other hand, may require days or weeks of continual treatment. And this treatment is safe, since the targets of the viruses are the invading bacteria and not human cells.
"These results demonstrating the proof of principle for phage therapy of V. vulnificus disease have implications beyond this specific disease," says Gulig. "With the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, new alternative treatments must be developed. Our studies could offer insight into the application of phage therapy to treat other bacterial infections."
This release is a summary of a presentation from the 100th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, May 21-25, 2000, in Los Angeles. Additional information on these and other presentations at the 100th ASM General Meeting can be found online at http://www.asmusa.org/pcsrc/gm2000/presskit.htm or by contacting Jim Sliwa (jsliwa@asmusa.org) in the ASM Office of Communications. The phone number for the General Meeting Press Room is (213) 765-4660 and will be active from 10:00 a.m., May 21 until 12:00 noon, May 25.