Experimental bacteriophage therapy increases survival of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with clinically relevant strains of the Burkholderia cepacia complex

Abstract

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) is a group of bacterial pathogens that are highly antibiotic resistant and associated with debilitating respiratory infections. Although bacteriophages of the BCC have been isolated and characterized, no studies have yet examined phage therapy against the BCC in vivo. In a caterpillar infection model, we show that BCC phage therapy is an alternative treatment possibility and is highly effective under specific conditions.

FIG. 1.

Bacteriophage persistence in G. mellonella larvae. Uninfected larvae were injected with individual phages (KS4 [▪], KS4-M [♦], DC1 [line without symbol], KS12 [□], or KS14 [×]). Equal volumes of hemolymph were collected from five worms at each time point, combined, serially diluted, and plated with B. cenocepacia K56-2 or B. cenocepacia C6433 for quantification. Each point represents the average for three trials, and the standard deviations are indicated.