Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs
The increase of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (LA-MRSA) causes a threat to human health. LA-MRSA can be transmitted from animals to animal caretakers, which may further spread MRSA to communities and health care facilities. The objective of this...
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/10/1888 |
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| author | Henni Tuomala Marie Verkola Anna Meller Jasper Van der Auwera Sheetal Patpatia Asko Järvinen Mikael Skurnik Annamari Heikinheimo Saija Kiljunen |
| author_facet | Henni Tuomala Marie Verkola Anna Meller Jasper Van der Auwera Sheetal Patpatia Asko Järvinen Mikael Skurnik Annamari Heikinheimo Saija Kiljunen |
| author_sort | Henni Tuomala |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increase of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (LA-MRSA) causes a threat to human health. LA-MRSA can be transmitted from animals to animal caretakers, which may further spread MRSA to communities and health care facilities. The objective of this work was to study the efficacy of phage treatment in the eradication of LA-MRSA from healthy carrier pigs. A total of 19 MRSA -positive weanling pigs were assigned to a test (<i>n</i> = 10) and a control group (<i>n</i> = 9). A phage cocktail containing three <i>Staphylococcus</i> phages, or a control buffer was administered to the nares and skin of the pigs three times every two days, after which the phage and MRSA levels in nasal and skin swab samples were monitored for a three-week period. The sensitivity of the strains isolated during the follow-up period to the phage cocktail and each phage individually was analyzed and the pig sera were tested for antibodies against the phages used in the cocktail. The phage treatment did not cause any side effects to the pigs. Phages were found in the skin and nasal samples on the days following the phage applications, but there was no reduction in the MRSA levels in the sampled animals. Phage-resistant strains or phage-specific antibodies were not detected during the experiment. The MRSA load in these healthy carrier animals was only 10–100 CFU/swab or nasal sample, which was likely below the replication threshold of phages. The effectiveness of phage treatment to eradicate MRSA from the pigs could thus not be (reliably) determined. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:09:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e7d98ce7322b48b0bd7ed1838a0867ae |
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| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:09:57Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-e7d98ce7322b48b0bd7ed1838a0867ae2023-11-22T20:17:35ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-09-011310188810.3390/v13101888Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier PigsHenni Tuomala0Marie Verkola1Anna Meller2Jasper Van der Auwera3Sheetal Patpatia4Asko Järvinen5Mikael Skurnik6Annamari Heikinheimo7Saija Kiljunen8Division of Clinical Microbiology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66 (Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2), 00014 Helsinki, FinlandLaboratory Animal Center, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, FinlandHuman Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 21 (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00014 Helsinki, FinlandHuman Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 21 (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00014 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Inflammation Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029 Helsinki, FinlandDivision of Clinical Microbiology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66 (Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2), 00014 Helsinki, FinlandDivision of Clinical Microbiology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290 Helsinki, FinlandThe increase of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (LA-MRSA) causes a threat to human health. LA-MRSA can be transmitted from animals to animal caretakers, which may further spread MRSA to communities and health care facilities. The objective of this work was to study the efficacy of phage treatment in the eradication of LA-MRSA from healthy carrier pigs. A total of 19 MRSA -positive weanling pigs were assigned to a test (<i>n</i> = 10) and a control group (<i>n</i> = 9). A phage cocktail containing three <i>Staphylococcus</i> phages, or a control buffer was administered to the nares and skin of the pigs three times every two days, after which the phage and MRSA levels in nasal and skin swab samples were monitored for a three-week period. The sensitivity of the strains isolated during the follow-up period to the phage cocktail and each phage individually was analyzed and the pig sera were tested for antibodies against the phages used in the cocktail. The phage treatment did not cause any side effects to the pigs. Phages were found in the skin and nasal samples on the days following the phage applications, but there was no reduction in the MRSA levels in the sampled animals. Phage-resistant strains or phage-specific antibodies were not detected during the experiment. The MRSA load in these healthy carrier animals was only 10–100 CFU/swab or nasal sample, which was likely below the replication threshold of phages. The effectiveness of phage treatment to eradicate MRSA from the pigs could thus not be (reliably) determined.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/10/1888LA-MRSAphagephage therapypigantibiotic resistance |
| spellingShingle | Henni Tuomala Marie Verkola Anna Meller Jasper Van der Auwera Sheetal Patpatia Asko Järvinen Mikael Skurnik Annamari Heikinheimo Saija Kiljunen Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs Viruses LA-MRSA phage phage therapy pig antibiotic resistance |
| title | Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs |
| title_full | Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs |
| title_fullStr | Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs |
| title_short | Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs |
| title_sort | phage treatment trial to eradicate la mrsa from healthy carrier pigs |
| topic | LA-MRSA phage phage therapy pig antibiotic resistance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/10/1888 |
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