Bacteriophage-Antibiotic Combinations for Enterococcus faecium with Varying Bacteriophage and Daptomycin Susceptibilities

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Aug 20;64(9):e00993-20. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00993-20. Print 2020 Aug 20.

Abstract

Concerns regarding increased prevalence of daptomycin (DAP)-resistant strains necessitate novel therapies for Enterococcus faecium infections. Obligately lytic bacteriophages are viruses that target, infect, and kill bacterial cells. Limited studies have evaluated phage-antibiotic combinations against E. faecium After an initial screen of eight E. faecium strains, three strains with varying DAP/phage susceptibilities were selected for further experiments. Phage-to-strain specificity contributed to synergy with antibiotics by time-kill analyses and was associated with lower development of phage resistance.

Keywords: Enterococcus faecium; bacteriophage-antibiotic combinations; bacteriophages; daptomycin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Bacteriophages
  • Daptomycin* / pharmacology
  • Enterococcus faecium*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / therapy
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Phage Therapy*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Daptomycin