Bacteriophages Improve Outcomes in Experimental Staphylococcus aureus Ventilator-associated Pneumonia

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria are a major clinical challenge. Phage therapy is a promising alternative antibacterial strategy. To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous phage therapy for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia due to methicillin-resistant in rats. In a randomized, blinded, controlled experimental study, we compared intravenous teicoplanin (3 mg/kg, = 12), a cocktail of four phages (2-3 × 10 plaque-forming units/ml of 2003, 2002, 3A, and K; = 12), and a combination of both ( = 11) given 2, 12, and 24 hours after induction of pneumonia, and then once daily for 4 days. The primary outcome was survival at Day 4. Secondary outcomes were bacterial and phage densities in lungs and spleen, histopathological scoring of infection within the lungs, and inflammatory biomarkers in blood. Treatment with either phages or teicoplanin increased survival from 0% to 58% and 50%, respectively (