Abstract
The isolation and characterization of bacteriophages for the treatment of infections caused by the multidrug resistant pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is imperative as nosocomial and community-acquired infections are rapidly increasing in prevalence. This increase is largely due to the numerous virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes encoded by this bacterium. Research on S. maltophilia phages to date has focused on the isolation and in vitro characterization of novel phages, often including genomic characterization, from the environment or by induction from bacterial strains. This review summarizes the clinical significance, virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms of S. maltophilia, as well as all phages isolated and characterized to date and strategies for their use. We further address the limited in vivo phage therapy studies conducted against this bacterium and discuss the future research needed to spearhead phages as an alternative treatment option against multidrug resistant S. maltophilia.
Highlights
The increasing prevalence of broad-spectrum antimicrobial resistance in bacterial infections worldwide is a global health concern
Use and misuse of antimicrobials have driven the evolution of resistant bacteria and the effectiveness of current antibiotics against bacterial pathogens is rapidly declining, created the risk of a post-antibiotic era in the near future; reports estimate that antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections will cause 10 million deaths annually worldwide by the year 2050 with significant socio-economic impacts if alternative treatment options are not discovered [1,2]
The pathogenicity and prevalence of S. maltophilia infections worldwide combined with the high level of antimicrobial resistance in these bacteria emphasizes the need for alternative treatments
Summary
The increasing prevalence of broad-spectrum antimicrobial resistance in bacterial infections worldwide is a global health concern. Use and misuse of antimicrobials have driven the evolution of resistant bacteria and the effectiveness of current antibiotics against bacterial pathogens is rapidly declining, created the risk of a post-antibiotic era in the near future; reports estimate that antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections will cause 10 million deaths annually worldwide by the year 2050 with significant socio-economic impacts if alternative treatment options are not discovered [1,2]. We will first briefly summarize the currently existing research on S maltophilia pathogenicity mechanisms and examine the potential of phage therapy as an alternative treatment option to antibiotics in light of the extreme antibiotic resistance of this bacterial pathogen
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