Publications by authors named "W J Metsemakers"
Orthopedic-device-related infections (ODRIs) are challenging clinical complications that are often exacerbated by antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation. This review explores the efficacy of naturally occurring antimicrobials - including agents sourced from bacteria, fungi, viruses, animals, plants and minerals - against pathogens common in ODRIs. The limitations of traditional antibiotic agents are presented, and innovative naturally occurring antimicrobials, such as bacteriophage therapy and antimicrobial peptides, are evaluated with respect to their interaction with conventional antibiotics and antibiofilm efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhage therapy (PT) continues to attract interest in the fight against fracture-related infection (FRI), particularly for recurring infections that have not been resolved using conventional therapeutic approaches. The journey PT has taken from early clinical application in the pre-antibiotic era to its recent reintroduction to western clinical practice has been accelerated by the increased prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens in the clinic. This review will present PT's potential as a precise, adaptable, and effective treatment modality, with a focus on patient and phage selection, as well as the various administration protocols currently applied to patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study investigates the effectiveness of bacteriophage therapy as a treatment option for periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) that often resist conventional antibiotics, especially since a specific bacteria accounts for a high percentage of these cases.
- - Researchers isolated nine different phages from human skin and tested their ability to combat biofilms formed by the PJI-causing bacteria on titanium discs, with some phages showing strong bacteria-fighting abilities and biofilm disruption.
- - Results indicate that phage therapy significantly reduces bacterial load and may serve as a promising alternative or supplement to traditional antibiotics in treating infections related to orthopedic devices.
Article Synopsis
- Staphylococcus aureus has several ways to escape the immune system and resist antibiotics, including invading the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network (OLCN), which can lead to recurring infections post-treatment.
- The study aimed to create an ex vivo model to investigate how S. aureus invades the OLCN and test antibacterial methods for bacteria in this environment.
- In experiments, wild-type S. aureus effectively invaded the OLCN in mouse bones, while a mutant strain showed reduced invasion; treatments with gentamicin and sitafloxacin were effective in decreasing the bacteria, while bacteriophage treatment was not.
Article Synopsis
- Rotational malalignment after lower extremity fracture treatment can lead to increased pain and functional issues, but there are no standard guidelines for how to manage it.
- A scoping review was conducted to gather and synthesize existing evidence on diagnosing and treating these rotational deformities, analyzing 50 relevant studies out of an initial pool of 3929 records.
- Most studies focused on the femur and tibia, primarily used CT scans for diagnosis, and commonly employed internal fixation for treatment, showing that revision surgeries generally yielded positive outcomes with low complication rates.