inPhocus: Current State and Challenges of Phage Research in Singapore

Article Microbiology

Critically Ill Patient with Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Respiratory Infection Successfully Treated with Intravenous and Nebulized Bacteriophage Therapy

Sohail Rao et al.

Summary: This case report presents a successful treatment of a 52-year-old critically ill patient with multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii respiratory infection using antibiotics and intravenous and nebulized bacteriophage therapy.

ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY (2022)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal

Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis

Christopher J. L. Murray et al.

Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to global human health, and this study provides the most comprehensive estimates of AMR burden to date. By estimating deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) associated with bacterial AMR in 204 countries and territories in 2019, the study highlights the impact of resistance and the leading pathogen-drug combinations contributing to it.

LANCET (2022)

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Article Infectious Diseases

Novel Phage Lysin Abp013 against Acinetobacter baumannii

Joash Jun Keat Chu et al.

Summary: As antimicrobial resistance becomes a growing health threat, the need for novel therapeutic agents is urgent. This study identifies a lysin called Abp013 that exhibits significant lytic activity against drug-resistant strains of Acinetobacter baumannii. Abp013 is able to tolerate the presence of human serum and effectively kill bacterial cells within biofilms. These findings suggest that Abp013 holds promising potential as a novel therapeutic agent.

ANTIBIOTICS-BASEL (2022)

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Article Infectious Diseases

Intravesical bacteriophages for treating urinary tract infections in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial

Lorenz Leitner et al.

Summary: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of intravesical bacteriophage therapy in treating UTIs. Findings showed that bacteriophage therapy was non-inferior to standard antibiotic treatment, but not superior to placebo bladder irrigation in terms of efficacy or safety. The safety profile of bacteriophages appears to be favorable, suggesting potential for further large-scale clinical studies on their role in UTI treatment.

LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES (2021)

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Article Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

CheckV assesses the quality and completeness of metagenome-assembled viral genomes

Stephen Nayfach et al.

Summary: CheckV is an automated pipeline for identifying closed viral genomes, estimating completeness of genome fragments, and removing host-related regions. By comparing sequences with a large database of complete viral genomes, CheckV assesses the quality of viral genomes assembled from metagenome data. Removing host contamination improves the accurate identification of auxiliary metabolic genes and interpretation of viral-encoded functions.

NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY (2021)

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Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Massive expansion of human gut bacteriophage diversity

Luis F. Camarillo-Guerrero et al.

Summary: The study reveals the diversity of viruses in the human gut and gene flow networks between different bacterial species, as well as the globally distributed viral populations and a highly prevalent phage clade reminiscent of p-crAssphage.

CELL (2021)

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Article Virology

Phage Therapy Related Microbial Succession Associated with Successful Clinical Outcome for a Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection

Austen Terwilliger et al.

Summary: The study demonstrates the effectiveness of using a rationally designed phage cocktail with antibiotics to treat patients with recurrent infections caused by E. coli. The patient tolerated the phage therapy well, with symptom resolution, but developed asymptomatic recurrent bacteriuria after treatment, which did not require antibiotic therapy.

VIRUSES-BASEL (2021)

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Article Microbiology

VirSorter2: a multi-classifier, expert-guided approach to detect diverse DNA and RNA viruses

Jiarong Guo et al.

Summary: VirSorter2 is a virus identification tool that leverages genome-informed database advances and multiple classifiers to improve accuracy and range of virus sequence detection. It uniquely performs consistently with high accuracy across viral diversity and minimizes errors associated with atypical cellular sequences.

MICROBIOME (2021)

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Review Microbiology

The human virome: assembly, composition and host interactions

Guanxiang Liang et al.

Summary: The human body hosts vast numbers of different viruses, collectively termed the 'virome'. Research on the human virome has highlighted the assembly, composition, and dynamics of the virome as well as host-virome interactions in health and disease. Viral community states can be associated with adverse outcomes for the human host, while others are characteristic of health.

NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY (2021)

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Article Virology

Successful Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Prosthetic Joint Infection with Bacteriophage Therapy

Claudia Ramirez-Sanchez et al.

Summary: Successful joint replacement is a life-enhancing procedure with significant growth in the past decade. Prosthetic joint infection is a biofilm-based infection that can be difficult to treat, but recent interest in bacteriophage therapy has shown promise in treating these infections successfully.

VIRUSES-BASEL (2021)

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Article Virology

The Repressor C Protein, Pf4r, Controls Superinfection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 by the Pf4 Filamentous Phage and Regulates Host Gene Expression

Muhammad Hafiz Ismail et al.

Summary: Filamentous phage Pf4 plays a crucial role in biofilm development, stress tolerance, genetic variant formation, and virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The molecular mechanism of superinfection and the control of host gene expression by Pf4 phage have been investigated. The mutation in repressor C (Pf4r) affects its function as an immunity factor against reinfection, shedding light on the important role of filamentous phages in P. aeruginosa biofilm development.

VIRUSES-BASEL (2021)

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Review Immunology

The Human Gut Phageome: Origins and Roles in the Human Gut Microbiome

Eleanor M. Townsend et al.

Summary: The investigation of the human microbiome has revolutionized our understanding of the impact of microorganisms on human development and health. While most research has focused on bacteria and fungi, the exploration of gut viruses is still in its early stages. Bacteriophages, which influence bacterial populations in various ecosystems, remain relatively understudied in the context of the human gut microbiome.

FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY (2021)

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Review Immunology