Phage Therapy for Orthopaedic Infections: The First Three Cases from the United Kingdom

Daniela I. Munteanu; John Dunn; Gábor Apjok; Bálint Kintses; Johann Griselain; Griet Steurs; Christel Cochez; Sarah Djebara; Maya Merabishvili; Jean Paul Pirnay; Vida Štilec; Matjaž Peterka; Emily A. Simpson; Samantha Downie; Alasdair MacInnes; Graeme Nicol; Benedict Clift; Joshua D. Jones

doi:10.3390/antibiotics14020114

Phage Therapy for Orthopaedic Infections: The First Three Cases from the United Kingdom

Daniela I. Munteanu
, John Dunn
, Gábor Apjok
, Bálint Kintses
, Johann Griselain
, Griet Steurs
, Christel Cochez
, Sarah Djebara
, Maya Merabishvili
, Jean Paul Pirnay
, Vida Štilec
, Matjaž Peterka
, Emily A. Simpson
, Samantha Downie
, Alasdair MacInnes
, Graeme Nicol
, Benedict Clift
, Joshua D. Jones

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

239 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. The antimicrobial resistance crisis has driven renewed interest in phage therapy, including the use of phages to treat chronic orthopaedic infections. Methods: Here, we present the results of the first three orthopaedic patients treated with phage therapy in the United Kingdom. Results: The first patient was treated in May 2023 and received phages active against Staphylococcus aureus. At nine months follow-up, the patient’s wound remained healed, the C-reactive protein normal and the patient was walking independently. The second patient received phages active against Klebsiella pneumoniae and S. aureus; the infection remained unresolved. The third patient received phages active against Staphylococcus epidermidis; at six months follow-up, the patient was free of infection. Endotoxin was considered at least partially responsible for mild self-limiting adverse effects in two cases. Conclusions: These promising results hint at the potential for phage therapy to transform the care of chronic orthopaedic infections.

Original language	English
Article number	114
Number of pages	7
Journal	Antibiotics
Volume	14
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14020114
Publication status	Published - 22 Jan 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

bacteriophage
bone infection
case series
joint infection
orthopaedic
phage therapy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Microbiology
Biochemistry
General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
Microbiology (medical)
Infectious Diseases
Pharmacology (medical)

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10.3390/antibiotics14020114Licence: CC BY

Published final version
2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Final published version, 205 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Munteanu, D. I., Dunn, J., Apjok, G., Kintses, B., Griselain, J., Steurs, G., Cochez, C., Djebara, S., Merabishvili, M., Pirnay, J. P., Štilec, V., Peterka, M., Simpson, E. A., Downie, S., MacInnes, A., Nicol, G., Clift, B., & Jones, J. D. (2025). Phage Therapy for Orthopaedic Infections: The First Three Cases from the United Kingdom. Antibiotics, 14(2), Article 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14020114

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title = "Phage Therapy for Orthopaedic Infections: The First Three Cases from the United Kingdom",

abstract = "Background: Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. The antimicrobial resistance crisis has driven renewed interest in phage therapy, including the use of phages to treat chronic orthopaedic infections. Methods: Here, we present the results of the first three orthopaedic patients treated with phage therapy in the United Kingdom. Results: The first patient was treated in May 2023 and received phages active against Staphylococcus aureus. At nine months follow-up, the patient{\textquoteright}s wound remained healed, the C-reactive protein normal and the patient was walking independently. The second patient received phages active against Klebsiella pneumoniae and S. aureus; the infection remained unresolved. The third patient received phages active against Staphylococcus epidermidis; at six months follow-up, the patient was free of infection. Endotoxin was considered at least partially responsible for mild self-limiting adverse effects in two cases. Conclusions: These promising results hint at the potential for phage therapy to transform the care of chronic orthopaedic infections.",

keywords = "bacteriophage, bone infection, case series, joint infection, orthopaedic, phage therapy",

author = "Munteanu, \{Daniela I.\} and John Dunn and G{\'a}bor Apjok and B{\'a}lint Kintses and Johann Griselain and Griet Steurs and Christel Cochez and Sarah Djebara and Maya Merabishvili and Pirnay, \{Jean Paul\} and Vida {\v S}tilec and Matja{\v z} Peterka and Simpson, \{Emily A.\} and Samantha Downie and Alasdair MacInnes and Graeme Nicol and Benedict Clift and Jones, \{Joshua D.\}",

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year = "2025",

month = jan,

day = "22",

doi = "10.3390/antibiotics14020114",

language = "English",

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journal = "Antibiotics",

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Munteanu, DI, Dunn, J, Apjok, G, Kintses, B, Griselain, J, Steurs, G, Cochez, C, Djebara, S, Merabishvili, M, Pirnay, JP, Štilec, V, Peterka, M, Simpson, EA, Downie, S, MacInnes, A, Nicol, G, Clift, B & Jones, JD 2025, 'Phage Therapy for Orthopaedic Infections: The First Three Cases from the United Kingdom', Antibiotics, vol. 14, no. 2, 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14020114

TY - JOUR

T1 - Phage Therapy for Orthopaedic Infections

T2 - The First Three Cases from the United Kingdom

AU - Munteanu, Daniela I.

AU - Dunn, John

AU - Apjok, Gábor

AU - Kintses, Bálint

AU - Griselain, Johann

AU - Steurs, Griet

AU - Cochez, Christel

AU - Djebara, Sarah

AU - Merabishvili, Maya

AU - Pirnay, Jean Paul

AU - Štilec, Vida

AU - Peterka, Matjaž

AU - Simpson, Emily A.

AU - Downie, Samantha

AU - MacInnes, Alasdair

AU - Nicol, Graeme

AU - Clift, Benedict

AU - Jones, Joshua D.

PY - 2025/1/22

Y1 - 2025/1/22

N2 - Background: Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. The antimicrobial resistance crisis has driven renewed interest in phage therapy, including the use of phages to treat chronic orthopaedic infections. Methods: Here, we present the results of the first three orthopaedic patients treated with phage therapy in the United Kingdom. Results: The first patient was treated in May 2023 and received phages active against Staphylococcus aureus. At nine months follow-up, the patient’s wound remained healed, the C-reactive protein normal and the patient was walking independently. The second patient received phages active against Klebsiella pneumoniae and S. aureus; the infection remained unresolved. The third patient received phages active against Staphylococcus epidermidis; at six months follow-up, the patient was free of infection. Endotoxin was considered at least partially responsible for mild self-limiting adverse effects in two cases. Conclusions: These promising results hint at the potential for phage therapy to transform the care of chronic orthopaedic infections.

AB - Background: Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. The antimicrobial resistance crisis has driven renewed interest in phage therapy, including the use of phages to treat chronic orthopaedic infections. Methods: Here, we present the results of the first three orthopaedic patients treated with phage therapy in the United Kingdom. Results: The first patient was treated in May 2023 and received phages active against Staphylococcus aureus. At nine months follow-up, the patient’s wound remained healed, the C-reactive protein normal and the patient was walking independently. The second patient received phages active against Klebsiella pneumoniae and S. aureus; the infection remained unresolved. The third patient received phages active against Staphylococcus epidermidis; at six months follow-up, the patient was free of infection. Endotoxin was considered at least partially responsible for mild self-limiting adverse effects in two cases. Conclusions: These promising results hint at the potential for phage therapy to transform the care of chronic orthopaedic infections.

KW - bacteriophage

KW - bone infection

KW - case series

KW - joint infection

KW - orthopaedic

KW - phage therapy

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85218906650

U2 - 10.3390/antibiotics14020114

DO - 10.3390/antibiotics14020114

M3 - Article

C2 - 40001358

AN - SCOPUS:85218906650

SN - 2079-6382

VL - 14

JO - Antibiotics

JF - Antibiotics

IS - 2

M1 - 114

ER -

Phage Therapy for Orthopaedic Infections: The First Three Cases from the United Kingdom

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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