European regulatory aspects of phage therapy: magistral phage preparations.

Bacteriophages (phages) are bacterial viruses, and have been used for more than a century to combat bacterial infections, particularly in Poland and in the former Soviet Union. The antimicrobial resistance crisis has triggered a renewed interest in the therapeutic use of natural phages. The capacity of phages to specifically target pathogenic strains (sparing commensal bacteria), to adapt to these strains, and to rapidly overcome bacterial resistance, makes them suitable for flexible therapeutic approaches.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Therapeutic Potential of Phage VA7 against Enterotoxigenic Infection.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, bacteriophages (phages), i.e., viruses that infect bacteria, have been used as antimicrobial agents for treating various infections.

A Design of Experiment Approach to Optimize Spray-Dried Powders Containing and Bacteriophages.

In the present study, we evaluated the effect of spray-drying formulations and operating parameters of a laboratory-scale spray-dryer on the characteristics of spray-dried powders containing two bacteriophages exhibiting different morphotypes: a podovirus (LUZ19) and a myovirus (14-1). We optimized the production process for bacteriophage-loaded powders, with an emphasis on long-term storage under ICH (international conference on harmonization) conditions. D-trehalose-/L-isoleucine-containing bacteriophage mixtures were spray-dried from aqueous solutions using a Büchi Mini Spray-dryer B-290 (Flawil, Switzerland).

A Case of In Situ Phage Therapy against in a Bone Allograft Polymicrobial Biofilm Infection: Outcomes and Phage-Antibiotic Interactions.

Phage therapy (PT) shows promising potential in managing biofilm infections, which include refractory orthopedic infections. We report the case of a 13-year-old girl who developed chronic polymicrobial biofilm infection of a pelvic bone allograft after Ewing's sarcoma resection surgery. Chronic infection by , and was worsened by methicillin-susceptible exhibiting an inducible Macrolides-Lincosamides-Streptogramin B resistance phenotype (iMLSB).

Prevalence, risk factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes of second trimester bacterial vaginosis among pregnant women in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common gynecological condition in women of reproductive age and associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), neonatal mortality rate is as high as 2.8 percent with preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) as leading causes.

Comparison of insulation provided by dry or wetsuits among recreational divers during cold water immersion (< 5°C).

Background: Divers thermal status influences susceptibility to decompression sickness hence the need for proper insulation during immersion in cold water. However, there is a lack of data on thermal protection provided by diving suits, hence this study.

Materials And Methods: Two different groups of divers wearing either a wetsuit (n = 15) or a dry suit (n = 15) volunteered for this study.

Bacteriophage Rescue Therapy of a Vancomycin-Resistant Infection in a One-Year-Old Child following a Third Liver Transplantation.

Phage therapy is an experimental therapeutic approach used to target multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. A lack of reliable data with regard to its efficacy and regulatory hurdles hinders a broad application. Here we report, for the first time, a case of vancomycin-resistant abdominal infection in a one-year-old, critically ill, and three times liver transplanted girl, which was successfully treated with intravenous injections (twice per day for 20 days) of a magistral preparation containing two phages.

Hypoxic and Hyperoxic Breathing as a Complement to Low-Intensity Physical Exercise Programs: A Proof-of-Principle Study.

Inflammation is an adaptive response to both external and internal stimuli including infection, trauma, surgery, ischemia-reperfusion, or malignancy. A number of studies indicate that physical activity is an effective means of reducing acute systemic and low-level inflammation occurring in different pathological conditions and in the recovery phase after disease. As a proof-of-principle, we hypothesized that low-intensity workout performed under modified oxygen supply would elicit a "metabolic exercise" inducing a hormetic response, increasing the metabolic load and oxidative stress with the same overall effect expected after a higher intensity or charge exercise.

Bacteriophage Therapy for Difficult-to-Treat Infections: The Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Phage Task Force ().

In times where only a few novel antibiotics are to be expected, antimicrobial resistance remains an expanding global health threat. In case of chronic infections caused by therapy-resistant pathogens, physicians have limited therapeutic options, which are often associated with detrimental consequences for the patient. This has resulted in a renewed interest in alternative strategies, such as bacteriophage (phage) therapy.

Heart Rate Variability During a Standard Dive: A Role for Inspired Oxygen Pressure?

Heart rate variability (HRV) during underwater diving has been infrequently investigated because of environment limitations and technical challenges. This study aims to analyze HRV changes while diving at variable hyperoxia when using open circuit (OC) air diving apparatus or at constant hyperoxia using a closed-circuit rebreather (CCR). We used HRV analysis in time and frequency domain adding nonlinear analysis which is more adapted to short-time analysis and less dependent on respiratory rate (Sinus respiratory arrhythmia).

Variant Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Genomes from Belgian Military Personnel Engaged in Overseas Missions and Operations.

More than a year after the first identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as the causative agent of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China, the emergence and spread of genomic variants of this virus through travel raise concerns regarding the introduction of lineages in previously unaffected regions, requiring adequate containment strategies. Concomitantly, such introductions fuel worries about a possible increase in transmissibility and disease severity, as well as a possible decrease in vaccine efficacy. Military personnel are frequently deployed on missions around the world.

Evaluating Diagnostic Accuracy of Saliva Sampling Methods for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Reveals Differential Sensitivity and Association with Viral Load.

Nasopharyngeal swabs are considered the preferential collection method for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) diagnostics. Less invasive and simpler alternative sampling procedures, such as saliva collection, are desirable. We compared saliva specimens and nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs with respect to sensitivity in detecting SARS-CoV-2.

Recent progress toward the implementation of phage therapy in Western medicine.

Like the sword of Damocles, the threat of a post-antibiotic era is hanging over humanity's head. The scientific and medical community is thus reconsidering bacteriophage therapy (BT) as a partial but realistic solution for treatment of difficult-to-eradicate bacterial infections. Here, we summarize the latest developments in clinical BT applications, with a focus on developments in the following areas: (i) pharmacology of bacteriophages of major clinical importance and their synergy with antibiotics; (ii) production of therapeutic phages; and (iii) clinical trials, case studies and case reports in the field.

A Cluster of Infections in Belgian Military Personnel after Deployment in Kindu, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Retrospective Study.

malaria is often neglected due to its less severe course compared to . In 2011-2012, Belgian Armed Forces identified a cluster of cases among military personnel after deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In this retrospective, monocentric, observational study, clinical and biological features of soldiers diagnosed with after deployment in DRC were reviewed.

Measuring Spatiotemporal Parameters on Treadmill Walking Using Wearable Inertial System.

This study aims to measure and compare spatiotemporal gait parameters in nineteen subjects using a full wearable inertial mocap system Xsens (MVN Awinda, Netherlands) and a photoelectronic system one-meter OptoGait (Microgait, Italy) on a treadmill imposing a walking speed of 5 km/h. A total of eleven steps were considered for each subject constituting a dataset of 209 samples from which spatiotemporal parameters (SPT) were calculated. The step length measurement was determined using two methods.

A case of blood stream infection in a severe burn patient and a review of the literature.

Background: is a strictly anaerobic rod shaped bacterium belonging to the family of . It is a commensal of the human intestinal microbiota which was seldom isolated from clinical samples, therefore clinical data are scarce. To date, only four cases of infections were described, all occurring in immunosuppressed patients.

Evaluation of the Stability of Bacteriophages in Different Solutions Suitable for the Production of Magistral Preparations in Belgium.

In Belgium, the incorporation of phages into magistral preparations for human application has been permitted since 2018. The stability of such preparations is of high importance to guarantee quality and efficacy throughout treatments. We evaluated the ability to preserve infectivity of four different phages active against three different bacterial species in five different buffer and infusion solutions commonly used in medicine and biotechnological manufacturing processes, at two different concentrations (9 and 7 log pfu/mL), stored at 4 °C.

Efficacy assessment of PEV2 phage on Galleria mellonella larvae infected with a Pseudomonas aeruginosa dog otitis isolate.

Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa is the most frequently isolated Gram-negative bacteria in dog otitis. Antimicrobial resistance is particularly prevalent in P.

Energy Balance and Energy Availability During a Selection Course for Belgian Paratroopers.

Introduction: Adequate energy supply is a prerequisite for optimal performances and recovery. The aims of the present study were to estimate energy balance and energy availability during a selection course for Belgian paratroopers.

Methods: Energy expenditure by physical activity was measured with accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+, ActiGraph LLC, Pensacola, FL, USA) and rest metabolic rate in Cal.

Genomics of an endemic cystic fibrosis Burkholderia multivorans strain reveals low within-patient evolution but high between-patient diversity.

Burkholderia multivorans is a member of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), notorious for its pathogenicity in persons with cystic fibrosis. Epidemiological surveillance suggests that patients predominantly acquire B. multivorans from environmental sources, with rare cases of patient-to-patient transmission.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Eggerthella lenta blood culture isolates at a university hospital in Belgium from 2004 to 2018.

Objectives: Eggerthella lenta is a Gram-positive anaerobic bacillus that is an important cause of bloodstream infections. This study aims to test the susceptibility of Eggerthella lenta blood culture isolates to commonly used antibiotics for the empirical treatment of anaerobic infections.

Methods: In total, 49 positive blood cultures for Eggerthella lenta were retrospectively included from patients hospitalised at the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Belgium, between 2004 and 2018.