Newly isolated lytic bacteriophages for Staphylococcus intermedius, structurally and functionally stabilized in a hydroxyethylcellulose gel containing choline geranate: Potential for transdermal permeation in veterinary phage therapy.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research article introduces a new method of treating a common skin infection in animals known as pyoderma. The method involves the use of ionic liquids and specific viruses (bacteriophages) that are structured and stabilized in a hydroxyethylcellulose gel for application directly to the animal’s skin.
Overview of the Study
The researchers in this study aim to provide an alternative treatment for pyoderma, a skin infection commonly occurring in animals. They test the transdermal permeation of bacteriophage particles, a type of virus that infects and replicates within bacteria, conveyed in a hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) gel integrated with ionic liquid.
- Hydroxyethylcellulose is a gelling and thickening agent derived from cellulose used in many pharmaceutical applications.
- The ionic liquid used here, choline geranate, is a type of salt in a liquid state that is highly viscous and stable, and it’s known for enhancing the solubility of amphibious molecules.
- The bacteriophages were chosen for their ability to infect and kill the bacteria causing pyoderma.
Methods and Approach
In their research, the team first isolated and stabilized a cocktail of lytic bacteriophage particles. Lytic bacteriophages are the type that immediately start using the host’s resources upon infection to replicate, and then they destroy the host cell, releasing new bacteriophage particles.
- The stabilized bacteriophages were mixed with a gel made of hydroxyethylcellulose and choline geranate, an ionic liquid.
- This gel served as a ‘vehicle’ to convey the bacteriophages and enhance their transdermal permeation – their ability to penetrate through the skin.
Results & Findings
Upon analysis of the results, the researchers noted that the use of ionic liquids significantly improved the transdermal permeation of the bacteriophage particles.
- This suggests that the ionic liquid-infused HEC gel is a promising vector for delivering these bacteriophages to the site of infection.
- Given this enhanced ability to deliver bacteriophages through the skin, the HEC gel formulation demonstrated potential as an effective antimicrobial treatment for animal skin infections such as pyoderma.
Implications
The outcomes of this research offer new insights into potential approaches for treating bacterial skin infections in animals. They suggest the potential of using bacteriophages in combination with an ionic liquid and hydroxyethylcellulose gel to enable effective delivery of the treatment to the site of infection. Future research could explore the applicability of this technique in treating different types of skin infections and its efficiency in different animal species and breeds.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms and Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms and Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms and Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms and Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms and Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
- PhageLab - Laboratory of Biofilms and Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, 18023-000 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil; Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, P-3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: victor.balcao@prof.uniso.br.
MeSH Terms
- Administration, Cutaneous
- Animals
- Bacteriophages
- Cell Line
- Cell Survival
- Cellulose / analogs & derivatives
- Cellulose / chemistry
- Choline / chemistry
- Dogs / microbiology
- Horses / microbiology
- Humans
- Ionic Liquids / chemistry
- Ionic Liquids / metabolism
- Mutagenicity Tests
- Permeability
- Phage Therapy / veterinary
- Pyoderma / drug therapy
- Pyoderma / veterinary
- Skin / metabolism
- Solvents
- Staphylococcus intermedius / virology
Citations
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