SINGAPORE: A female patient at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has become the first in South-east Asia to be successfully treated with phage therapy—a century-old technique that uses viruses to attack antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
One of the viruses used in her treatment was sourced from the Singapore River, the hospital said in a press release on 25 March.
The patient, identified as Ms A, is in her 30s and had undergone complex heart surgery in January 2024 due to a pre-existing health condition.
However, she later developed a serious bacterial infection in her chest cavity and blood, which proved resistant to conventional antibiotics.
SGH identified the culprit as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common bacterium known to cause severe infections.
Despite prolonged intravenous antibiotic treatment and an extended hospital stay, the infection persisted, leading to recurrent blood infections.
With limited treatment options available, Ms A faced two high-risk choices—undergoing an extremely risky surgery to remove the infection or remaining on intravenous antibiotics indefinitely.
In search of an alternative, SGH turned to phage therapy, a promising but rarely used treatment approach.
Phage Therapy as a Life-Saving Alternative
Phage therapy employs viruses called bacteriophages (or phages) to selectively target and kill bacteria through a process known as lysis.
These viruses infiltrate bacterial cells, hijack their replication machinery, and ultimately cause the bacteria to burst and die.
SGH explained that phages exist everywhere, including in soil, water, and even within humans and animals.
However, because phages are highly specific to their bacterial targets, it was necessary to identify ones that could precisely attack the Pseudomonas strain infecting Ms A.
To do this, the hospital’s team cultured the bacteria and conducted a phage spot test to identify suitable matches.
They screened their library of over 100 catalogued phages and searched the environment for additional candidates.
Eventually, they developed a cocktail of three phages that could work alongside antibiotics to enhance their effectiveness in combating the infection.
Notably, one of these phages was sourced from the Singapore River.
The entire process, from screening and testing to producing a safe phage formulation, took the team approximately five months.
Significant Improvement and Recovery
The phage therapy was administered intravenously over a two-week period.
SGH reported that the treatment was highly effective, allowing Ms A to avoid high-risk surgery.
She transitioned from intravenous to oral antibiotics—a clear sign of significant recovery.
Furthermore, she was able to have her long-term vascular access catheter removed, as antibiotic administration was no longer necessary.
Her condition improved to the extent that her need for hospital visits was drastically reduced, greatly enhancing her quality of life.
She was even able to travel overseas with her young family.
However, while phage therapy is not a new concept, it remains an emerging field and is considered experimental in most countries.
SGH noted that in Singapore, as in other countries where the therapy has been administered, approval from the relevant health authorities, including the clinical ethics committee, was required before proceeding with treatment.
The patient also had to provide informed consent.
“This thorough process ensures patient safety remains paramount, even as we push the boundaries and explore novel treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections,” SGH stated.
Following the success of Ms A’s case, SGH has since administered phage therapy to two other patients.
The post SGH successfully uses phage therapy to treat antibiotic-resistant infection, a first in South-east Asia appeared first on The Online Citizen.
