Role for bacteriophagesthe evolution of healthcare-associated infection pathogens
Introduction. One of the major challenges of modern medicine is antibiotic resistance of hospital acquired infection pathogens.Thus, the detailed study of the mechanisms of their evolution is of a high importance.The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of temperate bacteriophages circulating in hospital environment on the biological features of hospital acquired infection bacterial pathogens.Materials and methods. The study was conducted in a number of medical facilities (surgical, traumatological, urological, oncological and burn departments, neonatal intensive care units). Isolation of hospital acquired infection bacterial strains was carried out in accordance with generally accepted bacteriological methods. Isolation of phages from clinical samples was carried out according to generally accepted methods, but in authors modiﬁcation. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica and WinPepi software.Results. A strong correlation was revealed between the incidence of hospital acquired infection caused by E. coli and the intensity of E. coli circulation with prophage gene c2418, weak positive relationship was observed between the incidence of urinary tract infections and isolation rate of Enterococcus spp. with phage genes gp2 and yopX, a strong correlation was noted between the incidence of S. aureus HAIs and the intensity of circulation of temperate phages of S. aureus in the hospitals, a strong positive relationship was revealed between the activity of the circulation of Pseudomonas phages in the hospitals and the dynamics of P. aeruginosa hospital acquired infections.Conclusion. It was established a signiﬁcant role of temperate bacteriophages in evolution of pathogenic capacity of hospital acquired infection bacterial pathogens. Temperate bacteriophages promote the acquisition of important biological properties by hospital strains: increased virulence and ability to epidemic spread, multiple resistance to antibiotics, disinfectants and antiseptics.