Mycobacteriophages Exhibit Antibiofilm Activity at High Multiplicities of Infection
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Biofilm formation has been shown to be a very effective survival mechanism used by many bacteria
pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, unlike other bacteria, mycobacterial
biofilms tend to be very rich in lipids, and this accords them much more resilience than their carbohydratebased
counterparts’. Mycobacteriophage therapy, as an up-and-coming technology, is envisaged to
revolutionize the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), particularly involving antibiotic-resistant Mtb. Antibiofilm
activity, therefore, is a highly sought-after characteristic of mycobacteriophages intended for therapeutic use.
Here we investigated the in-vitro activity of a three-phage cocktail against biofilms of forty-six clinically
isolated Mtb using the MBEC biofilm device. We demonstrate that multiplicity of infection and the age of the
biofilms are significant determinants of phage antibiofilm activity.
Furthermore, based on our host range data,
we hypothesize that mycobacteriophages might have a preference for Mtb hosts from pulmonary infection
sites compared to those from extrapulmonary sites. If accurate, this finding could have profound implications
for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications of mycobacteriophages. Overall, our findings demonstrate
the antibiofilm potential of mycobacteriophages and continue to endorse mycobacteriophage therapy as a
treatment alternative to our failing antibiotic arsenal. We recommend further investigations to; understand the
basis of the observed host preference in mycobacteriophages, evaluate combinatorial therapy of phages and
antibiotics, and screen the phages for undesirable genes.
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Keywords
Bacteriophages, mycobacteriophages, phages, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Citation
Ssengooba, W., Kamya, D., Nakavuma, J., Achan, B., & Semanda, J. (2022). Mycobacteriophages Exhibit Antibiofilm Activity at High Multiplicities of Infection.