The promise of bacteriophage therapy for Burkholderia cepacia complex respiratory infections

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2012 Jan 20:1:27. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2011.00027. eCollection 2011.

Abstract

In recent times, increased attention has been given to evaluating the efficacy of phage therapy, especially in scenarios where the bacterial infectious agent of interest is highly antibiotic resistant. In this regard, phage therapy is especially applicable to infections caused by the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) since members of the BCC are antibiotic pan-resistant. Current studies in BCC phage therapy are unique from many other avenues of phage therapy research in that the investigation is not only comprised of phage isolation, in vitro phage characterization and assessment of in vivo infection model efficacy, but also adapting aerosol drug delivery techniques to aerosol phage formulation delivery and storage.

Keywords: Burkholderia; Burkholderia cepacia complex; aerosols; animal infection models; bacteriophage; dry powder inhalers; lung infections; phage therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols
  • Animals
  • Bacteriophages / genetics
  • Bacteriophages / physiology*
  • Biological Therapy / methods*
  • Biological Therapy / trends
  • Burkholderia Infections / therapy*
  • Burkholderia cepacia complex* / virology
  • Freeze Drying
  • Humans
  • Myoviridae / genetics
  • Myoviridae / physiology
  • Podoviridae / genetics
  • Podoviridae / physiology
  • Powders
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / therapy*
  • Siphoviridae / genetics
  • Siphoviridae / physiology

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Powders