Bacteriophages: A potential new therapeutic alternate to antibiotics to treat chronic septic wounds in large animals

Overuse of antibiotics is a major problem in the treatment of chronic infections. The antibiotic treatment is frequently non-curative due to emergence of antibiotic resistance, thus alternative treatment is necessary. The natural ability of pathogens to develop resistance is not only a threat to animal health but also leads to accumulation of antibiotic resistance determinants or resistant bacteria livestock products. Phage therapy has been developed as an alternative therapeutic approach against antibiotic resistance microorganisms.

In present study 150 samples of sewage were collected from livestock farm, NDVSU, Jabalpur (M.P.). Bacteriophages were isolated and characterized from the collected sewage samples. “Cocktail” of the recovered phage lysate isolates (0VS1, 0VS5, 0VS9 and 0VS27) was prepared for assessment of therapeutic utility of S. aureus phages in chronic septic infections. Therapeutic trial was performed in large animals (cattle and buffalo) at livestock farm, Adhartal, NDVSU, Jabalpur (MP.). Pathogens isolated from chronic septic wounds were showing antibiotic resistance but the bacteria were sensitive to phage lysate. Phage ‘cocktail’ was applied topically over the chronic septic wounds as single dose. Follow up of the cases was done at regular intervals (0, 5 and 10 days) which included clinical examination of wound by appearance, status of discharge and formation of granulation tissue.

Six animals showed complete recovery (60%) out of 10 animals from wounds as predicted by progressive healing status of wounds till the formation of granulation tissue within 10 days after phage application. Thus, recovery was much higher than the conventional antibiotic therapy normally used for the treatment of chronic septic wound infections in animals.