Bacteriophage GH15: Developing A Novel Weapon Against MRSA

Abstract

In recent years, numerous bacterial species have developed antibiotic resistance due to the overuse of antibiotics in the home, health care setting, and in agriculture. Alternative methods of treatment, including phage therapy (PT), have been proposed as solutions to this problem. PT is showing promise as an alternative method of treatment against the bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MRSA is a virulent and antibiotic resistant bacterium capable of causing infections of the skin, respiratory system, and various other body systems. In this research proposal, we propose investigating the use of the Staphylococcal bacteriophage (phage) GH15 as a therapeutic agent against MRSA infections due to its broad host range, its lack of bacterial virulence genes, and its strong ability to lyse various strains of MRSA. Specifically, we propose to evaluate the tail fibre genes of GH15 contributing to the phage’s host range, in addition to the ability of the phage to induce antiphage humoral immune responses in human cells, in the interest of exploring GH15 as a therapeutic agent for use in PT, specifically against MRSA.