Personalized phage therapy heals resistant wounds in Siamese cats

A new study has shown a breakthrough in treating antibiotic-resistant infections in animals. The research, focused on a 5-year-old Siamese cat with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa post-fusion infection, marks the first published documented application of personalized phage therapy in veterinary medicine.

The research paper titled “Successful phage-antibiotic therapy of P. aeruginosa implant-associated infection in a Siamese cat” is published in Quarterly veterinarian. The study was led by Professor Ronen Hazan and his team, from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in collaboration with the team of Vet Holim, JVMV – Kiryat-Anavim Veterinary Medical Center, Israel .

Squeaks, initially treated at JVMV for injuries caused by a fall from height, developed a serious infection in his right hind leg following several surgeries. This infection persisted despite different antibiotic treatments for four months.

Faced with possible implant replacement surgery, the team turned to the new treatment which involved a meticulously designed combination of a specific anti-P. aeruginosa, a virus that kills bacteria, applied topically to the surgical wound and ceftazidime administered intramuscularly. The cat’s owners, after a short demonstration, delivered most of the treatment doses of phages and antibiotics to their homes.

The integration of phage therapy with antibiotics aimed to target the pathogen efficiently and directly to the site of infection, taking advantage of the phage’s ability to be applied locally, simplifying administration and maximizing its concentration at the site of infection. This approach allowed the surgical wound, which remained open for five months, to heal completely after fourteen weeks of treatment.

The success of this case highlights the critical need for new therapies such as phage therapy to address growing concerns about antibiotic-resistant infections, which affect up to 8.5% of surgical sites after orthopedic surgeries in pets. These infections not only pose significant health risks to animals, but also increase the morbidity, mortality and costs associated with these procedures.

Recent studies suggest that phage therapy, which already shows high success rates in human medicine for treating orthopedic infections and chronically infected wounds, may offer a promising solution to similar problems in veterinary practice.

Additionally, the successful treatment of this cat by its owners at home highlights the practicality and effectiveness of personalized phage therapy, which could be extended to the treatment of other animals facing similar antimicrobial resistance issues.

Interestingly, unlike common situations, this case was performed on an animal based on the team’s knowledge in treating humans first.

The positive reception from veterinarians and animal owners regarding phage therapy demonstrates a growing awareness and acceptance of this therapeutic option. As the new treatment continues to be explored in the veterinary setting, it not only improves the health and well-being of pets, but also offers valuable data that contributes to the broader application of phage therapy in animals and humans.

This reconciliation of data may improve treatment protocols and outcomes for various bacterial infections, potentially changing the landscape of infection treatment in veterinary and human medicine.