Characterization and Therapeutic Potential of a Novel Bacteriophage Targeting Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms on Medical Devices

International Journal of Microbiology

卷:2026

Research Article

Raphael Kabir Niloy¹  Shakhinur Islam Mondal¹  Nurnabi Azad Jewel¹  Istiaque Zaeem¹  Mohiminur Rahman Mahin¹  Daniyal Karim¹  Mohimenul Haque Rolin¹  Tahsin Khan²  Mohammad Jubair²  Mustafizur Rahman²  Arzuba Akter³ 

[1] Genome Centre, Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh, icddrb.org

[2] Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh, sust.edu

[3] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh, sust.edu

关键词: antimicrobial resistance;    bacteriophage therapy;    bacteriophages;    biofilm;    genome sequencing;    MRSA;   

DOI  :  10.1155/ijm/1281458

 received in 2026-05-15, accepted in 2026-08-14,  发布年份 2026

来源: Hindawi Publishing Corporation

【 摘 要 】

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of multidrug-resistant and biofilm-associated infections, particularly on indwelling medical devices, where conventional antibiotics often exhibit limited efficacy. In this study, we isolated and characterized a novel lytic bacteriophage, SA_SGEB_01, targeting MRSA from hospital wastewater in Bangladesh. Biological characterization demonstrated that SA_SGEB_01 possesses favorable therapeutic properties, including a short latent period (~45 min), a burst size of approximately 91 plaque-forming units per infected cell, and stability across a broad pH range (3–11) and temperatures up to 45°C. Host range analysis revealed lytic activity against MRSA and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Whole-genome sequencing showed that SA_SGEB_01 contains a linear double-stranded DNA genome of 18,031 bp with no detectable lysogeny-associated, antibiotic resistance, or virulence genes, supporting its therapeutic suitability. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses classified the phage within the genus Rosenblumvirus of the family Rountreeviridae. Phage–antibiotic checkerboard assays demonstrated strong synergistic activity between SA_SGEB_01 and ciprofloxacin, with fractional inhibitory concentration index values below 0.5. Importantly, SA_SGEB_01 significantly reduced biofilm biomass in both 24- and 48-h-old MRSA biofilms and achieved approximately a 2-log10 reduction of viable cells in in vitro silicone catheter–associated biofilms, whereas vancomycin did not produce a statistically significant reduction under the same experimental conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first biologically and genomically characterized S. aureus phage from Bangladesh with demonstrated activity against MDR MRSA biofilms, highlighting its potential as a promising candidate for controlling device-associated MRSA infections.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
Copyright © 2026 Raphael Kabir Niloy et al. International Journal of Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 2026

【 图 表 】

Figure 3

Figure 7

Figure 15

Figure 27

Figure 21

Figure A1

FIGURE 17

FIGURE 8

FIGURE 3

Figure 10

Figure 4

Figure 5