A genotypic analysis of five P. aeruginosa strains after biofilm infection by phages targeting different cell surface receptors

Abstract

[Excerpt] Antibiotic resistance constitutes currently one of the most serious threats to the global public health and it urgently requires new and effective solutions. Bacteriophages are bacterial viruses increasingly recognized as being good alternatives to the traditional antibiotic therapies [1]. In the present study, the efficacy of phages against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm and planktonic cell cultures was evaluated over the course of 48 hours. Although significant reductions in the number of viable cells were achieved for both cases, the high level of adaptability of the bacteria in response to the selective pressure caused by phage treatment resulted in the emergence of phage-resistant variants. However, very few studies have explored this phenomenon. [...]