Genomic epidemiology-informed phage therapy: Tackling acinetobacter baumannii infections in Eastern and Southern Europe

Title : Genomic epidemiology-informed phage therapy: Tackling acinetobacter baumannii infections in Eastern and Southern Europe

Abstract:

Phage therapy is gaining significant interest in combating critically antibiotic-resistant nosocomial pathogens. However, the narrow host range of bacteriophages limits the development of broadly effective therapies, necessitating precision approaches. In this study, we integrated large-scale phylogeographic analysis with high-throughput phage typing to develop targeted phage cocktails against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, a top-priority pathogen. We demonstrate the efficacy of these phage cocktails against prevalent strain types using in vitro and animal infection models. Our findings could enhance phage screening strategies for future therapeutic applications in genetically characterized isolates.

Biography:

Hadj Mehdi Hiba is a 4th-year PhD student at the Biochemistry Institute in the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Hungary. Born in Algeria in 1999, She completed her MSc in Microbiology in 2021 before joining Dr. Bálint Kintses' research group to pursue her PhD. Her research focuses on combating the antimicrobial resistance crisis through bacteriophage-based therapies. Specifically, she isolated and characterized phages targeting multidrug-resistant pathogens, with a focus on Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. She designed phage cocktails and evaluated their host range, infectivity, and efficacy against diverse bacterial strains. This work was complemented by testing in in vivo infection models to ensure therapeutic potential. By integrating phage isolation, characterization, and testing in biological systems, she aims to develop innovative, targeted treatments for drug-resistant infections, offering an alternative to traditional antibiotics.