Extensive screening of ten bacteriophage cocktails revealed an optimal combination with potent therapeutic activity against Acinetobacter baumannii
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Issued Date
2026-12-01
Resource Type
eISSN
20452322
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105039565605
Pubmed ID
41917457
Journal Title
Scientific Reports
Volume
16
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Scientific Reports Vol.16 No.1 (2026)
Suggested Citation
Sawaengwong T., Janesomboon S., Lerdsittikul V., Muangsombut V., Prachoochote S., Chantratita N., Korbsrisate S., Withatanung P. Extensive screening of ten bacteriophage cocktails revealed an optimal combination with potent therapeutic activity against Acinetobacter baumannii. Scientific Reports Vol.16 No.1 (2026). doi:10.1038/s41598-026-46878-z Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/117019
Title
Extensive screening of ten bacteriophage cocktails revealed an optimal combination with potent therapeutic activity against Acinetobacter baumannii
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii poses a major clinical challenge due to its association with high morbidity and mortality, necessitating alternative treatment strategies. Bacteriophages offer a promising solution; however, their narrow host range limits efficacy against diverse A. baumannii strains. To address this limitation, we isolated five distinct phages (vB_AbaSI_1–5) of the class Caudoviricetes, each exhibiting a narrow host range (2.2%-29.6%) against 135 clinical A. baumannii isolates. Ten phage cocktails (A-J) were formulated and tested for host range expansion and bactericidal activity. Cocktails A, D, and E demonstrated enhanced efficacy, infecting 68 of 135 isolates (50.4%) and statistically significantly outperforming individual phages (p < 0.0001). Among these, cocktail A (comprising phages vB_AbaSI_1, vB_AbaSI_2, and vB_AbaSI_3) exhibited the highest killing efficiency against extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii strain DMST43250, along with superior biofilm inhibition and degradation capabilities. Application of cocktail A completely inhibited biofilm formation within 24 h. In vivo efficacy was evaluated using a Galleria mellonella infection model, in which cocktail A improved larval survival to 85.0% on day 1 and 60.0% by day 7, exceeding other cocktails (p < 0.0001). These results highlight cocktail A as a promising candidate for phage therapy targeting A. baumannii infections and associated biofilms.