Combining a phage cocktail with antibiotics improves recovery from Pseudomonas-induced VAP in mice

Nosocomial infections contribute to 10-20% of ICU mortality, depending on the ventilation status, making ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) the most common fatal hospital-acquired infection. Common bacterial lung pathogens include multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, like carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii and E. coli, which are listed as "critical priority" bacteria by the WHO. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy could possibly be an attractive option for VAP therapy. In a previous study, we were able to show that even repetitive injections of a P. aeruginosa-specific phage cocktail elicited no adverse events and only a minimal immune response in naïve mice. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of this phage cocktail on Pseudomonas-induced VAP in mice, with or without additional standard-of-care antibiotic treatment.