Basic research to establish Bacteriophage treatment for chronic otitis media as a novel treatment strategies using the activity of bacteriolysis

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K10756
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Komori Masahiro 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系臨床医学部門, 講師 (30565742)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松崎 茂展 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系基礎医学部門, 准教授 (00190439) ; 内山 淳平 麻布大学, 獣医学部, 講師 (20574619) ; 小林 泰輔 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系臨床医学部門, 准教授 (30253313)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ファージ療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bacteriophage is a virus which infects to bacterium and breaks them. Since having specificity to host bacterium, bacteriophage never infects to the indigenous bacterium and human cells. Thus, when host bacterium disappears, the bacteriophage becomes extinct. In addition, it does not have tolerance to antibiotics and also breaks the biofilms of bacterium.
This study aimed to confirm the efficacy and safety on the treatments for chronic otitis media. Staphylococcus aureus and/or bacteriophage were injected into the middle ear cavity. Although their concentration to work was much higher than expected, the inflammation disappeared by the bacteriophage treatment. No mice with bad condition, death and doubted inner ear damages were found. The study indicated the bacteriophage is effective for the treatments to the otitis media, however, further studies will be required for the toxicity.

Free Research Field

MRSA