Bacteriophages as Anti-Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Agents

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a colonizing microorganism of the nasal region of both humans and animals and represents an important opportunistic pathogen. The acquisition of the mecA and mecC genes by S. aureus led to the emergence of methicillin resistance (MRSA), becoming a public health problem in both human and animal areas. In addition to resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, MRSA strains have multidrug resistance to antimicrobials, significantly limiting therapeutic options, making it crucial to have effective alternatives for treating staphylococcal infections. In this context, the use of lytic bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and lyse bacteria, as well as the use of their by-products, such as endolysins, has shown potential in the control of S. aureus, including MRSA. Due to the specificity of bacteriophages to infect particular prokaryotic hosts, these viruses represent an antibacterial resource for the control of public health relevant microorganisms, especially antibiotic-resistant bacteria.