title: Characterization and Testing the Efficiency ofAcinetobacter baumanniiPhagevB-GEC_Ab-M-G7as an Antibacterial Agent.
abstract: Acinetobacter baumanniiis a gram-negative, non-motile bacterium that, due to its multidrug resistance, has become a major nosocomial pathogen. The increasing number of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains has renewed interest in phage therapy. The aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness of phage administration inAcinetobacter baumanniiwound infections in an animal model to demonstrate phage therapy as non-toxic, safe and alternative antibacterial remedy. Using classical methods for the study of bacteriophage properties, we characterized phagevB-GEC_Ab-M-G7as a dsDNA myovirus with a 90 kb genome size. Important characteristics ofvB-GEC_Ab-M-G7include a short latent period and large burst size, wide host range, resistance to chloroform and thermal and pH stability. In a rat wound model, phage application effectively decreased the number of bacteria isolated from the wounds of successfully treated animals. This study highlights the effectiveness of the phage therapy and provides further insight into treating infections caused by MDR strains using phage administration.
authors.affiliation: G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Ia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kusradze
authors.affiliation: G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Natia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karumidze
authors.affiliation: G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Sophio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rigvava
authors.affiliation: G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and VirologyTbilisi, Georgia; Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State UniversityTbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Teona
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dvalidze
authors.affiliation: G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Malkhaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katsitadze
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Research, Ilia State University Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Irakli
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amiranashvili
authors.affiliation: G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goderdzishvili
keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii; animal model; bacteriophage; phage therapy; wound infection