title: Phage therapy targeting Escherichia coli-a story with no end?
abstract: Bacteriophages (phages) or bacterial viruses have long been proposed as an alternative therapy against antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Escherichia coli Even though poorly documented in the scientific literature, a long clinical history of phage therapy in countries such as Russia and Georgia suggests potential value in the use of phages as antibacterial agents. Escherichia coli is responsible for a wide range of diseases, intestinal (diarrhoea) and extraintestinal (UTI, septicaemia, pneumoniae, meningitis), making it an ideal target for phage therapy. This review discusses the latest research focusing on the potential of phage therapy to tackle E. coli-related illnesses. No intact phages are approved in EU or USA for human therapeutic use, but many successful in vitro and in vivo studies have been reported. However, additional research focused on in vivo multispecies models and human trials are required if phage therapy targeting E. coli pathotypes can be a story with happy end.
authors.affiliation: APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork T12 R229, Ireland.
authors.forename: Andrei Sorin
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bolocan
authors.affiliation: APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork T12 R229, Ireland.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Callanan
authors.affiliation: APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork T12 R229, Ireland.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forde
authors.affiliation: APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork T12 R229, Ireland.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork T12 R229, Ireland c.hill@ucc.ie.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D003090:Coliphages / Q000254:growth & development*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000821:virology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000071059:Phage Therapy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: AIEC; STEAEC; UTI; phage therapy