Viruses to the rescue-Use of bacteriophage to treat resistant pulmonary infections

Alexandra Toporek; Noah Lechtzin

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.037

Viruses to the rescue-Use of bacteriophage to treat resistant pulmonary infections

Cell. 2022 May 26;185(11):1807-1808. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.037.

Authors

Alexandra Toporek¹, Noah Lechtzin²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
² Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: nlechtz@jhmi.edu.

PMID: 35623325
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.037

Abstract

People with cystic fibrosis (CF) are commonly infected with difficult to treat organisms, including non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Bacteriophage are viruses that lyse specific bacteria. Nick and colleagues describe the first successful treatment of a Mycobacterium abscessus lung infection with bacteriophage in an immune competent individual. This report provides important information regarding the efficacy of phage therapy and timeline of treatment response.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Bacteriophages*
Cystic Fibrosis* / therapy
Humans
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous* / therapy
Phage Therapy*
Pneumonia*