Phage Cocktail against Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm on Endotracheal Tube: An in vitro study

Although biofilms on endotracheal tube (ET) surfaces represent a major clinical challenge, studies addressing the effect of lytic bacteriophages on these biofilms are relatively scarce. This study focused on examining the anti-biofilm capability of three specific phage against an XDR isolate of Acinetobacter baumannii in a 48-hour pre-formed biofilm on an ET surface. For this purpose, crystal violet staining, colony counting, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in biofilm mass and bacterial count after 24 hours of exposure to the phage cocktail. SEM images confirmed a dramatic reduction in the biofilm. Based on these findings, phage therapy has the potential to reduce and disrupt biofilms on ET surfaces.