Effective elimination of Staphylococcal contamination from hospital surfaces by a bacteriophage–probiotic sanitation strategy: a monocentric study. Issue 4 (25th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: D'Accolti, Maria; Soffritti, Irene; Lanzoni, Luca; Bisi, Matteo; Volta, Antonella; Mazzacane, Sante; Caselli, Elisabetta
• Other Names: Dusfresne Alain guestEditor.; Ellis Tom guestEditor.; Landini Paolo guestEditor.; Marqués Silvia guestEditor.; Prieto Auxi guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Microbial biotechnology. Volume 12:Issue 4(2019:Jul.)
• Page Start: 742
• Page End: 751
• Publication Date: 2019-04-25
• Subjects: Microbial biotechnology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology; Microbiology; 660.62
• DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-7915

Abstract

Summary: Persistent contamination of hospital surfaces and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as major causes of healthcare‐associated infections (HAI). We recently showed that probiotic‐based sanitation (PCHS) can stably decrease surface pathogens and reduce AMR and HAIs. However, PCHS action is slow and non‐specific. By contrast, bacteriophages have been proposed as a decontamination method as they can rapidly attack specific targets, but their routine application has never been tested. Here, we analysed the feasibility and effectiveness of phage addition to PCHS sanitation, aiming to obtain a rapid and stable abatement of specific pathogens in the hospital environment. Staphylococcal contamination in the bathrooms of General Medicine wards was analysed, being those areas the most contaminated and Staphylococci the most prevalent bacteria in such settings. Results showed that a daily phage application by nebulization induced a rapid and significant decrease in Staphylococcus spp. load on treated surfaces, up to 97% more than PCHS alone ( P < 0.001), suggesting that such a system might be considered as a part of prevention and control strategies, to counteract outbreaks of specific pathogens and prevent associated infections. Abstract : Bacteriophages have been proposed for decontamination but their routine application in the hospital environment has never been tested. We analyzed the effectiveness of phage addition to probiotic‐based sanitation. Results showed a significant decrease in targeted bacteria on treated surfaces, suggesting that such a system might be considered as a part of infection prevention and control strategies.