Beneficial effects of bacteriophage treatments

Abstract

The invention elates to use of one or more bacteriophages in vivo in a human or animal in order to induce sensitivity to chemical antibiotics in bacterial cells, where such susceptibility is heritable, independent of continuing bacteriophage metabolism within those cells, and does not relate to the destruction of a biofilm to induce such sensitivity.

1 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of treating a bacterial infection in a human or an animal, said method comprising:
 a. administration of a bacteriophage preparation comprising one or more bacteriophages to the human or animal in vivo;   b. in vitro monitoring of sensitivity to one or more chemical antibiotic(s) of a sample of bacterial cells from said infection or from another infection wherein the bacterial cells are of the same strain as said infection; and   c. administration of said one or more chemical antibiotic(s), when it has been established that said sensitivity to said one or more chemical antibiotic(s) has been induced;   and wherein said sensitivity to one or more chemical antibiotic(s) is heritable, is independent of continuing bacteriophage metabolism within those cells, and does not relate to the destruction of a biofilm.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the ability of said bacteriophage preparation to induce sensitivity of said bacterial cells to said one or more chemical antibiotic(s) is determined by in vitro antibiotic sensitivity testing using samples of bacterial cells from said infection. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein induction of sensitivity has been confirmed for one or more bacterial strains from the individual patient. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said bacteriophage preparation and said one or more chemical antibiotic(s) are administered at intervals of one day to two months apart. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said bacteriophage preparation and said one or more chemical antibiotic(s) are administered at intervals of one to four weeks apart. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said bacteriophage preparation and said one or more chemical antibiotic(s) are administered at intervals of one day to two days apart. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the bacterial infection is a  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  bacterial infection. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said chemical antibiotic comprises or consists of an aminoglycoside antibiotic. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of amikacin, ceftazadime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, meropenem, pipericillin, tazobactam, colistin, aztreonam, imipenem, and tobramycin. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said bacteriophage preparation is a combined preparation of the six bacteriophages NCIMB 41174, NCIMB 41175, NCIMB 41176, NCIMB 41177, NCIMB 41178 and NCIMB 41179 (as deposited at the National Collection of Industrial And Marine Bacteria, UK on 24 Jun. 2003). 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the animal is a canine.