Beneficial effects of bacteriophage treatments

Abstract

The invention relates to use of one or more bacteriophages in vivo in a human or animal in order to induce sensitivity to chemical antibiotics in bacterial cells, where such susceptibility is heritable, independent of continuing bacteriophage metabolism within those cells, and does not relate to the destruction of a biofilm to induce such sensitivity.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of monitoring antibiotic resistance in  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  comprising:
 (i) obtaining a first sample from a subject that has a  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  bacterial infection that is resistant to chemical antibiotics;   (ii) testing the first sample for susceptibility to antibiotics;   (iii) administering one or more bacteriophages capable of infecting  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  to the subject;   (iv) obtaining a second sample from the subject after the administration step (iii);   (v) testing the second sample for susceptibility to antibiotics; and   (vi) detecting a change in the antibiotic resistance in  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  by comparing the susceptibility of  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  in the first sample and the second sample.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein susceptibility of the  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  to chemical antibiotics is heritable, independent of continuing bacteriophage metabolism within those cells, and does not relate to the destruction of a biofilm to induce the sensitivity. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the monitoring is used to select antibiotics for therapeutic use in a human or animal. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of amikacin, ceftazadime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, meropenem, pipericillin, tazobactam, colistin, aztreonam, imipenem, and tobramycin. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the antibiotic is an aminoglycoside antibiotic. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the bacteriophages are selected from the group consisting of NCIMB (National Collection of Industrial and Marine Bacteria) 41174, NCIMB 41175, NCIMB 41176, NCIMB 41177, NCIMB 41178, and NCIMB 41179; 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the subject is an animal. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the animal is human. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the animal is a canine. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein a time period between administering the one or more bacteriophages to the subject and testing the sample for susceptibility to antibiotics is one day to two months apart. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein a time period between administering the one or more bacteriophages to the subject and testing the sample for susceptibility to antibiotics is one week to four weeks apart. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein a time period between administering the one or more bacteriophages to the subject and testing the sample for susceptibility to antibiotics is one day to two days apart. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least one sample selected from the first sample and the second sample is from an ear, a lung, an eye, a burn, or a wound. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least one sample selected from the first sample and the second sample is from an ear. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more bacteriophages are capable of replicating in the subject. 
     
     
         41 . A method of monitoring antibiotic resistance in  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  comprising:
 (i) obtaining a first sample from a subject that has a  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  bacterial infection that is partially resistant to chemical antibiotics;   (ii) testing the first sample for susceptibility to antibiotics;   (iii) administering one or more bacteriophages to the subject, wherein the bacteriophages are selected from the group consisting of NCIMB (National Collection of Industrial and Marine Bacteria) 41174, NCIMB 41175, NCIMB 41176, NCIMB 41177, NCIMB 41178, and NCIMB 41179;   (iv) obtaining a second sample from the subject after the administration step (iii);   (v) testing the second sample for susceptibility to antibiotics; and   (vi) detecting a change in the antibiotic resistance in  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  by comparing the susceptibility of  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  in the first sample and the second sample.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein susceptibility of the  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  to chemical antibiotics is heritable, independent of continuing bacteriophage metabolism within those cells, and does not relate to the destruction of a biofilm to induce the sensitivity. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the monitoring is used to select antibiotics for therapeutic use in a human or animal. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of amikacin, ceftazadime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, meropenem, pipericillin, tazobactam, colistin, aztreonam, imipenem, and tobramycin. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the subject is a human.