Phage resistance, a brake on the development of phage therapy

Phage therapy is a promising anti-infective option for combating antimicrobial resistance. However, its clinical use is compromised by the potential emergence of phage resistance. A better understanding of phage resistance mechanisms and their influence on the efficacy of phage-antibiotic combinations is crucial. In this study, researchers investigated phage resistance mechanisms in the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. They identified various phage resistance mechanisms: disruption of phage binding, extension of the phage latency period and increased mutation frequency. These resistance mechanisms could lead to an increase or reduction in the bacterium's sensitivity to the associated antibiotics.