Characterization of the novel carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage vB_PaeM_GZMU_A1002 and the synergistic antibacterial effect with Allicin

The increasing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics necessitates the exploration of innovative antimicrobial strategies. Phage therapy is a promising solution; however, naturally occurring phages targeting resistant pathogens are still limited. This study aimed to isolate and identify phages capable of lysing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) from sewage and to investigate the synergistic antimicrobial effects of phage therapy combined with allicin. A novel phage, vB_PaeM_GZMU_A1002, was successfully isolated and characterized, revealing a double-stranded DNA genome of 63,770 bp with no virulence or resistance genes, indicating its safety for application. This phage demonstrated good stability across various temperatures and pH levels, effectively inhibiting CRPA growth within 12 hours and achieving about 50% biofilm eradication rate. Notably, the combination of phage and allicin significantly enhanced antimicrobial efficacy, reducing the effective concentrations of both agents. The synergistic action was likely due to increased damage to bacterial cell membranes and reduced cell surface hydrophobicity. This research highlights the potential of phage therapy, particularly when combined with natural compounds like allicin, as a viable approach to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.

细菌对抗生素的耐药性问题日益严峻，亟需探索创新型抗菌策略。噬菌体疗法（phage therapy）是颇具前景的解决方案，但目前靶向耐药致病菌的天然噬菌体仍较为匮乏。本研究旨在从污水中分离并鉴定出可裂解碳青霉烯类耐药铜绿假单胞菌（carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa，CRPA）的噬菌体，并探究噬菌体疗法与大蒜素（allicin）联合使用的协同抗菌效果。本研究成功分离并鉴定出一株新型噬菌体vB_PaeM_GZMU_A1002并完成表征：其基因组为双链DNA，长度63770 bp，未携带任何毒力或耐药基因，表明其应用安全性良好。该噬菌体在不同温度与pH环境下均表现出良好稳定性，可在12小时内有效抑制CRPA增殖，并实现约50%的生物膜清除率。值得注意的是，噬菌体与大蒜素联合使用可显著提升抗菌效果，同时降低二者的有效使用浓度。二者的协同作用可能源于对细菌细胞膜的损伤加剧，以及细菌细胞表面疏水性的降低。本研究凸显了噬菌体疗法，尤其是与大蒜素这类天然化合物联合使用时，作为对抗抗生素耐药性感染的可行方案的巨大潜力。