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Microbial Biofilms
Published in Bakrudeen Ali Ahmed Abdul, Microbial Biofilms, 2020
Muhsin Jamal, Sayed Muhammad Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, Sana Raza, Liloma Shah, Redaina, Noor-ul-ain Ali, Saadia Andleeb
Bacteriophages or bacterial viruses are supposed to be the most abundant entities in the biosphere. Because of the development of frequent resistance to antibiotics, phages (as natural killer of bacteria) can offer a better option for the eradication of bacterial species. Bacteriophages are presently well thought as a probable substitute to antibacterials for infections of bacteria, particularly for disrupting or inhibiting biofilm. Isolation of bacteriophage is simpler and fast, and manufacture is comparatively cheap. Phages are specific to their host and do not disturb the usual microflora. In addition, bacteriophages are also ecofriendly and their replication occurs at the site of target as longer as the bacterial host cells persist over there. Until now no adversative complications have been being noticed using phages (Pires et al. 2011). Phages have been confirmed as antibiofilm substances in many studies. For instance, “T4 phage” could efficiently infect and replicate in biofilms of E. coli and cause interruption of the matrix of biofilm via eliminating the bacteria cells (Meng et al. 2011). Phages could penetrate in the EPS by means of phage derivative enzymes (polysaccharide depolymerase) or by diffusion. Phage enzymes have the capability to disturb the structure of biofilm (Hughes et al. 1998). There exists considerable indication that bacteriophage depolymerases affect the biofilm (Donlan 2009). A list of different studies has been provided in Table 1.3 showing the applications of bacteriophages against biofilms.
Production of VNPs, VLPs, and Chimeras
Published in Nicole F Steinmetz, Marianne Manchester, Viral Nanoparticles, 2019
Nicole F Steinmetz, Marianne Manchester
Many viruses accumulate to high titers in their natural hosts; plant viruses, for example, can be isolated in gram scales from a kilogram of infected leaf material. Bacteriophages also accumulate to high titers (gram bacteriophage per liter cell culture), and production of bacteriophages can be scaled up using modern fermentation techniques. As diverse applications in nanotechnology progress toward industrial practice and clinical trials, there is demand for reliable and large-scale production of viral nanoparticles (VNPs). It is desired that the expression system gives high flexibility, allowing production of various mutant VNPs with altered surface properties such as modification of amino acids, or chimeras (VNPs displaying foreign peptide sequences) with ease, at low cost, and in a time-efficient manner. For safe use in materials and medicine, it is generally desirable that the VNP be replication-deficient. Various methods have been developed that allow extraction of the nucleic acid from assembled particles to render them non-infectious. Alternatively, the virus can be inactivated using physical methods such as UV irradiation. However, these methods introduce additional steps in the manufacturing process and can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Spray Drying of Biotherapeutic Compounds
Published in Sandeep Nema, John D. Ludwig, Parenteral Medications, 2019
It is common knowledge that antibiotic resistance is one of this century’s most important medical challenges. No new class of antibiotics, with new mechanism of action, is emerging. This highlights the urging necessity to promote alternatives to antibiotics to fight antibiotic-resistant infections.62 Bacteriophages have been known since the early 20th century due to the pioneering work of Twort63 and D’Herelle.64 Bacteriophages are naturally occurring viruses that are highly specific for the bacterial hosts they infect. They can rapidly kill their host, amplifying themselves in the process. Bacteriophages are unaffected by antibiotic resistance and are able to disrupt bacterial biofilms, which are a major line of defense for bacteria. Single phages or phage cocktails have been delivered parenterally, orally, or locally65 and are often available as aqueous suspensions.
Does antimicrobial coating and impregnation of urinary catheters prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection? A review of clinical and preclinical studies
Published in Expert Review of Medical Devices, 2019
Aneela Majeed, Fnu Sagar, Azka Latif, Hamza Hassan, Ahmad Iftikhar, Rabih O. Darouiche, Mayar Al Mohajer
Bacteriophages are viruses with the ability to replicate inside bacteria. Lytic phages used in catheters can destroy bacteria after replication. In a recent study, an anti-pseudomonal phage cocktail reduced biofilm counts by 4 log10 CFU/cm2, whereas an anti-Proteus phage cocktail reduced biofilm counts by >2 log10 CFU/cm2 over a 48-h period [53]. One study used silicone catheters inoculated with P. aeruginosa and pretreated them with one of four media (sterile medium, medium with E. coli alone, medium with phage alone, and medium with E. coli plus phage). The catheters were tested in vitro using human urine samples. The results revealed that the adherence of P. aeruginosa to catheters was almost 4 log10 units lower when the catheters were pretreated with E. coli plus phage compared with no pretreatment in 24-h experiments, and was >3 log10 units lower in 72-h experiments [54]. Another in vitro study assessed the antibiofilm effects of P. aeruginosa bacteriophage-pretreated hydrogel-coated catheters. After 24 h, the mean viable biofilm count decreased from 6.87 log10 CFU/cm2 in untreated catheters to 4.03 log10 CFU/cm2 in phage-pretreated catheters [55]. Further, in another study, catheters pretreated with lytic S. epidermidis bacteriophage 456 with and without divalent ions were compared with hydrogel-coated catheters in vitro, and showed significant reductions of staphylococcal counts (4.47 and 2.34 log CFU/cm2, respectively; p = 0.001) [56].
Field sampling of indoor bioaerosols
Published in Aerosol Science and Technology, 2020
Jennie Cox, Hamza Mbareche, William G. Lindsley, Caroline Duchaine
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria rather than eukaryotic cells. Because bacteriophages do not infect humans, they are safer to work with than pathogenic viruses, and bacteriophages are easier to culture since they grow in bacteria. For these reasons, bacteriophages such as MS2 are often used as surrogates for pathogenic viruses in studies of indoor viral bioaerosols (Turgeon et al. 2014; Verreault et al. 2015). Airborne bacteriophages also can be a problem in indoor industrial environments in which bacteria are used, such as plants making dairy products (Verreault et al. 2011). The methods and issues described here for viral aerosol collection also apply to bacteriophages.
Bacteriophage applications for fresh produce food safety
Published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2021
O. López-Cuevas, J. A. Medrano-Félix, N. Castro-Del Campo, C. Chaidez
Researchers have predicted that high-tech and effective management of bacteriophages will become an important part of future counteract to antibiotic-resistance bacteria. Yet, the future seems a bit far to normalize phages applications in fresh produce operations. At present, phage applications are suitable as a complementary tool to chemical disinfection, especially by the occurrence of disinfectant and/or antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Also, phages will be more reliable when cocktails or mixed with waxes are in place.