Augmentation of the antimicrobial efficacy of antibiotics by filamentous phage.
A significant increase in sensitivity to several antibiotics was observed in vitro after infection of the two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains O1 and K with the filamentous phage Pf3 and Pf1, respectively. Moreover, upon infection with phage Pf1 a P. aeruginosa K strain harboring a plasmid-borne gentamicin resistance gene could be resensitized to the antibiotic. We further show that BALB/c mice were rescued from lethal infections with P. aeruginosa K by concomitant treatment with phage Pf1 and low concentrations of gentamicin, neither of which was able to cure the infection when administered alone.
Hagens
Steven
S
Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University Departments at the Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
Habel
André
A
Bläsi
Udo
U
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D025561:Bacteriophage Pf1 / Q000502:physiology; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017912:Inovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017105:Pseudomonas Phages / Q000502:physiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000821:virology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins