Development of Host Immune Response to Bacteriophage in a Lung Transplant Recipient on Adjunctive Phage Therapy for a Multidrug-Resistant Pneumonia

Abstract

Bacteriophage therapy is the use of viruses to kill bacteria for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. Little is known about the human immune response following phage therapy. We report the development of phage-specific CD4 T cells alongside rising phage-specific immunoglobulin G and neutralizing antibodies in response to adjunctive bacteriophage therapy used to treat a multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia in a lung transplant recipient. Clinically, treatment was considered a success despite the development phage-specific immune responses.

Keywords: AIM; PBMC; T follicular helper cell; anti-phage antibody; bacteriophage; immune response; phage therapy.