Phage therapy of pulmonary infections.

Abstract

It is generally agreed that a bacteriophage-associated phenomenon was first unambiguously observed one-hundred years ago with the findings of Twort in 1915. This was independently followed by complementary observations by d'Hérelle in 1917. D'Hérelle's appreciation of the bacteriophage phenomenon appears to have directly led to the development of phages as antibacterial agents within a variety of contexts, including medical and agricultural. Phage use to combat nuisance bacteria appears to be especially useful where targets are sufficiently problematic, suitably bactericidal phages exist, and alternative approaches are lacking in effectiveness, availability, safety, or cost effectiveness, etc. Phage development as antibacterial agents has been strongest particularly when antibiotics have been less available or useful, e.g., such as in the treatment of chronic infections by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. One relatively under-explored or at least not highly reported use of phages as therapeutic agents has been to combat bacterial infections of the lungs and associated tissues. These infections are diverse in terms of their etiologies, manifestations, and also in terms of potential strategies of phage delivery. Here I review the literature considering the phage therapy of pulmonary and pulmonary-related infections, with emphasis on reports of clinical treatment along with experimental treatment of pulmonary infections using animal models.