BACTERIOPHAGES ARE FACTORS FOR EVOLUTION OF NOSOCOMIAL STRAINS AND MEANS FOR COMBATING INFECTIONS

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) are a serious problem throughout the world. The actual task of modern medicine is to study the evolution of HCAI pathogens. Bacteriophages may play a significant role in the formation of pathogenic properties in nosocomial strains. At the same time, bacteriophages are effective agents for the treatment and prevention of HCAI. The mass and irrational use of antibiotics causes HCAI pathogens to acquire multiple resistance, therefore antibiotic effectiveness is reduced or frequently absent. In this connection, bacteriophages as antimicrobial agents assume particular importance. The circulation of phages and their biological properties were studied and nosocomial strains were tested for phage-mediated virulence factors at different hospitals. It was shown that moderate phages might affect the acquisition of virulence factors, as well as antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The therapeutic and preventive efficacies of bacteriophages were evaluated, by using Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection as an example at a traumatology hospital. The application of phages was demonstrated to reduce the incidence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection from 40.8 to 8.9%.

healthcare-associated infections, nosocomial strain, bacteriophage, phage-mediated virulence factor, phagotherapy