Abstract
Abstract. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are bacterial
pathogens frequently associated with pulmonary complications and disease
progression in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. However, these bacteria
increasingly show multiple resistance to antibiotics, necessitating
novel management strategies. One possibility is phage therapy, where
lytic bacteriophages (phages; bacteria-specific viruses) are
administered to kill target bacterial pathogens. Recent publication of
case reports of phage-therapy treatment of antibiotic-resistant lung
infections in CF has garnered significant attention. These cases
exemplify the renewed interest in phage therapy, as an older concept
that is newly updated to include rigorous collection and analysis of
patient data to assess clinical benefit, while informing the development
of clinical trials. As outcomes of these trials become public, the
results will valuably gauge the potential usefulness of phage therapy to
address the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. In
addition, we highlight the further need for basic research on accurately
predicting the different responses of target bacterial pathogens when
phages are administered alone, sequentially or as mixtures (cocktails),
and whether within-cocktail interactions among phages hold consequences
for the efficacy of phage therapy in patient treatment.