Bacteriophages for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

Bacteriophages were first identified in 1915 and were used as antimicrobial agents from 1919 onwards. Despite apparent successes and widespread application, early users did not understand the nature of these agents and their efficacy remained controversial. As a result, they were replaced in the west by chemical antibiotics once these became available. However, bacteriophages remained a common therapeutic approach in parts of Eastern Europe where they are still in use. Increasing levels of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are now driving demand for novel therapeutic approaches. In cases where antibiotic options are limited or nonexistent, the pressure for new agents is greatest. One of the most prominent areas of concern is multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a prominent member of this class and is the cause of damaging infections that can be resistant to successful treatment with conventional antibiotics. At the same time, it exhibits a number of properties that make it a suitable target for bacteriophage-based approaches, including growth in biofilms that can hydrolyse following phage infection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa provides a striking example of an infection where clinical need and the availability of a practical therapy coincide.