The potential of phages to prevent MRSA infections.
This short review attempts to examine whether there is a potential for the use of phages capable of infecting Staphylococcus aureus to eradicate or reduce nasal colonisation, thereby reducing the overall infection burden in patient populations identified as being at risk from MRSA infections. There is clear evidence that nasal decolonisation may be of benefit to certain patient groups and also that phages can effectively combat experimentally induced S. aureus infections in animals. However, this is not in itself enough to validate the use of phages for decolonisation and, given the appearance of strains resistant to currently used topical antibiotics, there is a need for clinical trials of this prophylactic use of phages.
Novolytics Ltd., Unit 26, Barclays Venture Centre, Sir William Lyons Road, Coventry CV4 7EZ, UK. N.H.Mann@warwick.ac.uk
Nicholas H
NH
Mann
D000818:Animals; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009666:Nose / Q000821:virology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology*