title: The use of bacteriophages to biocontrol oral biofilms.
abstract: Infections induced by oral biofilms include caries, as well as periodontal, and peri-implant disease, and may influence quality of life, systemic health, and expenditure. As bacterial biofilms are highly resistant and resilient to conventional antibacterial therapy, it has been difficult to combat these infections. An innovative alternative to the biocontrol of oral biofilms could be to use bacteriophages or phages, the viruses of bacteria, which are specific, non-toxic, self-proliferating, and can penetrate into biofilms. Phages for Actinomyces naeslundii, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Enterococcus faecalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Lactobacillus spp., Neisseria spp., Streptococcus spp., and Veillonella spp. have been isolated and characterised. Recombinant phage enzymes (lysins) have been shown to lyse A. naeslundii and Streptococcus spp. However, only a tiny fraction of available phages and their lysins have been explored so far. The unique properties of phages and their lysins make them promising but challenging antimicrobials. The genetics and biology of phages have to be further explored in order to determine the most effective way of applying them. Studying the effect of phages and lysins on multispecies biofilms should pave the way for microbiota engineering and microbiota-based therapy.
authors.affiliation: Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Stadtfelddamm 34, D-30625 Hannover, Germany; Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Szafranski.Szymon@mh-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Szymon P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Szafrański
authors.affiliation: Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Stadtfelddamm 34, D-30625 Hannover, Germany; Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winkel
authors.affiliation: Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Stadtfelddamm 34, D-30625 Hannover, Germany; Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Stiesch.Meike@mh-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stiesch
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*
keywords: Bacteriophage; Biofilm; Lysin; Oral cavity; Periodontal disease; Phage therapy