Hungarian researchers have developed a comprehensive map detailing the global distribution and spread of Acinetobacter baumannii, a critical hospital-acquired superbacterium. Published in the prestigious journal Cell, the research, led by the National Laboratory of Biotechnology at the HUN-REN Biological Research Center in Szeged, offers new avenues for combating antibiotic-resistant infections through bacteriophage therapy.
Mapping Superbacteria
The study, conducted in collaboration with the National Public Health Center (NNGYK), the National Laboratory for Health Security, and several healthcare institutions across five Eastern European countries, systematically mapped the prevalence and spread patterns of A. baumannii variants. This detailed analysis of the bacterial genome provides invaluable information for epidemiological forecasting and the development of targeted treatments.
"Collected systematically, this information is invaluable for epidemiological forecasting and drug development," the researchers stated.
Bacteriophage Therapy
Bacteriophages, viruses that selectively infect and kill bacteria, represent a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics, particularly against multi-drug resistant pathogens. However, bacteriophages are highly specific, requiring a unique phage for each bacterial variant. The researchers discovered that while there is significant diversity within A. baumannii, only a few variants predominate in specific regions.
Regional Bacteriophage Cocktails
According to the researchers, having 8-10 different bacteriophage formulations tailored to a particular region could potentially treat 80% of hospital-acquired infections caused by A. baumannii. This regional approach is made possible by the superbacteria map, which identifies countries with similar bacterial variants infecting hospitalized patients.
Implications for Global Collaboration
"In addition, if we know which countries have roughly the same variants of the same bacteria infecting hospitalized patients, then global collaboration could lead to more effective clinical trials of targeted phage cocktails," the researchers noted.
The superbacteria map offers hope that phage therapy could become a key component of personalized patient care, similar to the role antibiotics played in the past. With antibiotic resistance causing 1.27 million deaths in 2019 and increasing annually, the development of effective alternatives is critical.
