Phage Activity against Planktonic and Biofilm Staphylococcus aureus Periprosthetic Joint Infection Isolates

• Published in: Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy Vol. 66; no. 1; p. e0187921
• Main Authors: Totten, Katherine M. C., Patel, Robin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Microbiology 18.01.2022
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antimicrobial Chemotherapy; Bacteriophages; Biofilms; Editor's Pick; Experimental Therapeutics; Humans; Plankton; Prosthesis-Related Infections - drug therapy; Prosthesis-Related Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus; periprosthetic joint infection; phage; antibiotic resistance; biofilm
• ISSN: 0066-4804; 1098-6596; 1098-6596
• DOI: 10.1128/AAC.01879-21

We recently reported the successful treatment of a case of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) with phage. Phage activity against bacteria causing PJI has not been systematically evaluated. We recently reported the successful treatment of a case of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) with phage. Phage activity against bacteria causing PJI has not been systematically evaluated. Here, we examined the in vitro activity of seven phages against 122 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus recovered between April 1999 and February 2018 from subjects with PJI. Phages were assessed against planktonic and biofilm phenotypes. Activity of individual phages was demonstrated against up to 73% of bacterial isolates in the planktonic state and up to 100% of biofilms formed by isolates that were planktonically phage susceptible. Susceptibility to phage was not correlated with small-colony-variant phenotype for planktonic or biofilm bacteria; correlation between antibiotic susceptibility and planktonic phage susceptibility and between biofilm phage susceptibility and strength of biofilm formation were noted under select conditions. These results demonstrate that phages can infect S. aureus causing PJI in both planktonic and biofilm phenotypes, and thus are worthy of investigation as an alternative or addition to antibiotics in this setting.