bims-fagtap Biomed News
on Phage therapies and applications
Issue of 2026–03–01
53 papers selected by
Luca Bolliger, lxBio
  1. Phage-Based Approaches to Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lung Infection in Cystic Fibrosis.
  2. Modeling the Phage Properties Best for Therapy.
  3. Bacterial meningitis in adults: therapeutic challenges in the era of antibiotic resistance and the potential of bacteriophages and associated by products.
  4. Bacterial defense mechanisms against bacteriophages: an evolutionary arms race.
  5. Phage biobanks as enabling infrastructure for precision phage therapy in the era of antimicrobial resistance.
  6. Bacteriophage-mediated reduction of uropathogenic E. coli from the urogenital epithelium.
  7. A novel phage encoding host defense modulators demonstrates in-vivo therapeutic efficacy against carbapenem-resistant E. coli ST1432.
  8. Electrospun Phage-Loaded Bilayer Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Wound Dressing Applications: A Comparative Study of Different Bacteriophages.
  9. Diverse Bacterial Anti-Phage Strategies: From the Laboratory to the Clinic.
  10. Pseudolysogeny-mediated evolutionary trade-offs favor phage therapy by limiting antibiotic resistance and virulence in Cutibacterium acnes.
  11. Bacterial Receptors but Not Anti-Phage Defense Mechanisms Determine Host Range for a Pair of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lytic Phages.
  12. A Century-Old Solution for 21st Century Challenges: Current Applications with a Focus on Biocontrol, Environmental Impacts, and Regulatory Perspectives.
  13. Formulating and stabilising therapeutic phages: A review.
  14. Emerging Therapeutic Approaches for Modulating the Intestinal Microbiota.
  15. Discovery and characterization of a novel Pseudomonas phage of a new genus.
  16. Antimicrobial Resistance: The Answers.
  17. Isolation, characterization and evaluation of a novel phage against Elizabethkingia anophelis.
  18. Elevated Antibacterial Activity of a Polygalacturonic + Caprylic Acids Wound Ointment Compared with Hypochlorous Acid in a Three-Dimensional Wound Biofilm Model.
  19. Alterations in the gut virome of children with allergic rhinitis: enrichment of pro-inflammatory bacteriophages and depletion of fungal viruses.
  20. Wound care basics: An overview for nurses.
  21. Towards accurate artificial intelligence models for strain-level phage-host prediction.
  22. Beyond Antibiotics: Therapeutic Strategies Utilizing Probiotics and Bacteriophages Against Drug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
  23. Pain relief in chronic wounds in older people and its impact on healing and quality of life.
  24. Experimental models and methods for infected wound modeling with Staphylococcus aureus.
  25. Outpatient Cutaneous Wound Care in the United States: Specialty Distribution and Antimicrobial Prescribing Patterns.
  26. Deciphering microbial biofilm: mechanism, infection, and advanced approaches for control.
  27. Mapping Person-Centred Care in Wound Management: A Scoping Review of Frameworks, Concepts and Outcome Measures.
  28. Comments on "Clinical Pearl: Topical Lactobacillus application to disrupt Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and promote healing in chronic wounds".
  29. Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes is associated with reduced airway microbial diversity.
  30. A comprehensive analysis of the kinetics of infection of lytic bacteriophages specific to the ESKAPE and critical pathogens.
  31. Immunomodulatory effects of oral microbiota in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.
  32. Nano-Enabled Delivery of Phage-Based Antibacterials Against ESKAPE Pathogens.
  33. Microneedle-integrated biosensors for smart wound monitoring.
  34. The emerging pathogen Candida auris: host interactions and disease drivers.
  35. Nursing Care and Patient Education for Ulcerative Colitis Patients in Japan: A Scoping Review.
  36. Machine Learning Model for Predicting Multidrug Resistance in Clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates.
  37. Bacteriophage-Based Control of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Anti-Biofilm Activity, Surface-Active Formulation Compatibility, and Genomic Context.
  38. Smart Composite Hydrogels for Monitoring and Managing Chronic Wounds.
  39. An Update on the Correlation Between Neuroimmunomodulation, Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), and Wound Healing: The Role of Mast Cells.
  40. The user experiences of AI-based clinical decision support systems and implications for usage over time: A scoping review.
  41. Advice From Patients to Improve Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management and Amputation Prevention.
  42. The intestinal microbiota as a key modulator of acute graft-versus-host disease.
  43. Machine Learning in Preclinical Development of Antiviral Peptide Candidates: A Review of the Current Landscape.
  44. A computational pipeline to discover potential cross-reactive antibodies: a case study on coronavirus.
  45. Self-assembled hydrogels promote wound healing.
  46. Self-Powered Enzymatic Biofuel Cell for Synergistic Therapy and Real-Time Monitoring of Diabetic Wounds.
  47. Novel Microbiome-Driven Approaches to Counteract Chemotherapy-Induced Mucositis in Breast Cancer Patients.
  48. On the Use of Generative AI in Clinical Prediction - A European Perspective.
  49. Diarrhea management: from pathophysiology to microbiota modulation.
  50. Research Landscape of the Role of Exosomes in Diabetic Wound Management: Bibliometric Perspective.
  51. The rise and future of peptide-based antimicrobials.
  52. A Narrative Review on Oral Microbiome Dysbiosis in Benign and Malignant Oral Lesions: Mechanistic Insights and Clinical Implications.
  53. The protective effects of Silymarin in diabetic wound healing: A review.
  1. Antibiotics (Basel). 2026 Jan 27. pii: 125. [Epub ahead of print]15(2):
    Phage-Based Approaches to Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lung Infection in Cystic Fibrosis.
    Wontae Hwang, Ji Hyun Yong, Bryan R Lenneman, Lael M Yonker.
      Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) represent one of the most treatment-refractory bacterial diseases, sustained by biofilm formation, metabolic dormancy, and adaptive antibiotic resistance evolution. While bacteriophage (phage) therapy has emerged as a promising alternative for multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, clinical studies in CF have demonstrated transient reductions in bacterial burden without achieving complete eradication. This review integrates molecular, evolutionary, and immunological findings to explain the multifactorial barriers that limit phage therapeutic efficacy in chronic CF infections. We highlight three major obstacles: (i) bacterial dormancy and persistence within biofilms that restrict phage adsorption and replication; (ii) hypermutability and extensive genotypic diversification of CF-adapted P. aeruginosa, which accelerate phage resistance evolution and necessitate broad host-range coverage; and (iii) CF-specific immune constraints-including a dysfunctional innate immune system and phage-neutralizing humoral immunity-that reduce phage bioavailability and undermine sustained bacterial clearance. Emerging strategies to overcome these challenges include the discovery of dormant-targeting phages capable of replicating in metabolically quiescent cells, evolution-informed phage training to delay resistance evolution, and synthetic phage engineering approaches designed to disrupt biofilms and expand host-range coverage. In parallel, computational or artificial intelligence (AI)-guided frameworks for phage cocktail design and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator-mediated restoration of host immune function together offer a more integrated therapeutic paradigm that unites phage biology and host immune context. By unifying clinical outcomes with mechanistic, evolutionary, and immunological perspectives, this review outlines a next-generation framework for phage therapy in CF aimed at achieving more durable therapeutic outcomes.
    Keywords:  Pseudomonas aeruginosa; bacterial persistence; bacteriophage therapy; cystic fibrosis; host-phage interactions; hypermutator phenotypes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15020125
  2. Viruses. 2026 Feb 13. pii: 240. [Epub ahead of print]18(2):
    Modeling the Phage Properties Best for Therapy.
    James J Bull, Gurneet Kaur, Stephen M Krone.
      The phages used to treat bacterial infections in phage therapy are commonly chosen based on their abilities to form plaques on the infecting bacterium-on host range. In practice, phage therapy is not always successful, leaving room for improvement. Here, we use computational models to investigate whether some standard phage properties (burst size, lysis rate, adsorption rate constant, intrinsic decay rate, and growth rate) might serve as predictors of treatment success. As our measure of treatment success, we deviate from many other approaches by calculating the number of phages needed to suppress bacterial densities 100-fold in the short term, given that the patient's immune system is expected to regain control once bacterial numbers are reduced. Numerical analysis of single-phage trials across 2400 combinations of phage phenotypes reveals that, on average, adsorption rate constant and growth rate provide the most useful predictive values, decay rate provides some value, whereas burst size and lysis time offer essentially little or no value. Bacterial density is especially informative of the number of phages required for treatment. There is nonetheless often considerable variation around average behavior for a single phenotype. These results raise the possibility that the adsorption rate constant and growth rate may be especially important in phage therapy performance for both high and low bacterial densities. Given that therapeutic phages are often evolved in vitro for broad host ranges rather than for individual hosts, it should be considered that selection for broad host range may have a downside of compromising adsorption to and growth rate on individual bacterial hosts.
    Keywords:  adsorption rate; bacteria; computational model; decay rate; phage choice; phage therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/v18020240
  3. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2026 ;16 1755353
    Bacterial meningitis in adults: therapeutic challenges in the era of antibiotic resistance and the potential of bacteriophages and associated by products.
    Magdalena Dzięgiel, Zuzanna Głodowicz, Aleksandra Jóźwiak, Weronika Roztkowska, Agnieszka Necel, Lidia Piechowicz.
      Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is one of the leading factors encouraging the development of new therapeutic strategies. The increased resistance to antibiotics can be attributed to several factors, such as early and unnecessary administration, incorrect dosing, or incomplete antibiotic treatment. One of the diseases that calls for improved understanding of this problem is meningitis, which - if ineffectively treated - may result in severe neurological complications and death. This study provides an overview of the current antibiotic strategies for bacterial meningitis along with the therapeutic challenges associated with standard treatment options. In addition, it also presents the current progress in bacteriophage research, highlighting both their potential to replace some common antibiotic therapies in the treatment of meningitis and the significant lack of clinical studies regarding most of them. The research on phage therapy targeting meningitis-associated pathogens is limited, and where it exists, it is predominantly focused on mouse models. There, its efficiency seems mostly promising. Nevertheless, comprehensive clinical trials are needed to properly determine the efficacy and safety of phage therapy in humans before it becomes a significant alternative to antibiotics.
    Keywords:  antibiotic resistance; antibiotic therapy; meningitis; meningitis-related bacteria; phage therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1755353
  4. Arch Microbiol. 2026 Feb 23. pii: 229. [Epub ahead of print]208(5):
    Bacterial defense mechanisms against bacteriophages: an evolutionary arms race.
    Rafwana Ibrahim, Jesil Mathew Aranjani.
      Bacteria and bacteriophages are in a co-evolutionary arms race, developing intricate bacterial defense mechanisms that enable phage resistance and counterstrategies. Bacteria evolve diverse defense mechanisms to inhibit each stage of the phage infection cycle.Surface-based defenses prevent phage adsorption and infection, including receptor modifications, capsule production, and biofilm formation. Intracellular systems such as restriction-modification (R-M) and abortive infection (Abi) mechanisms degrade phage DNA or sacrifice infected cells to protect the population. Adaptive immunity, particularly through CRISPR-Cas systems, enables bacteria to recognize and neutralize recurring phage attacks. Phages counter these defenses through anti-CRISPR proteins, receptor mimicry, and depolymerization, which degrade capsules and biofilm matrices. These dynamic interactions shape microbial ecosystems, offering insights for the development of novel antimicrobial strategies. Emerging approaches, including engineered phages and combination therapies, hold promise for addressing bacterial resistance. Understanding these bacterial-phage dynamics is critical for advancing phage therapy as a powerful tool against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. This review aims to systematically examine and integrate current knowledge on bacterial antiphage defense systems and the evolutionary adaptations employed by bacteriophages to overcome these barriers.
    Keywords:  Bacterial immunity; CRISPR‒Cas; abortive infection; bacteriophage counter-defense; bacteriophage resistance; restriction-modification
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-026-04785-x
  5. Front Antibiot. 2026 ;5 1772871
    Phage biobanks as enabling infrastructure for precision phage therapy in the era of antimicrobial resistance.
    Paulina Topa-Pila, Katheryne Y Morales, Doménica P Palacios-Mora, Cristina Flores-Hernández, Analía Altamirano-Cisneros, Joselyn Micaela Gavilanes, Keyla Villacís-López, Mirari Arancibia, Johanna Mora-Domínguez, William Calero-Cáceres.
      The renewed interest in bacteriophage therapy as a response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has exposed a critical barrier to its scalable implementation: the lack of structured infrastructure to support precision phage deployment. Due to their narrow host specificity, bacteriophages require timely access to well-matched candidates, making ad hoc isolation and informal exchange insufficient for routine therapeutic use. In this Perspective, we argue that phage biobanks must be redefined as enabling infrastructure rather than passive repositories. We propose that next-generation phage biobanks should integrate curated biological diversity, systematic genomic and functional qualification, and predictive capacity to support rapid phage-host matching. Together, these elements transform biobanks into decision-support systems capable of informing translational applications under time-sensitive conditions. This infrastructural model is particularly relevant within a One Health framework, where resistant pathogens circulate across human, veterinary, agricultural, and environmental domains. Rather than reviewing methodologies, we outline conceptual principles to guide the design of phage biobanks as integrated, predictive, and sustainable assets. We contend that the future impact of phage therapy will depend less on individual phage discovery than on the development of interoperable biobank infrastructures that enable precision antimicrobial interventions at scale.
    Keywords:  One health; antimicrobial resistance (AMR); bioinformatics; phage biobanks; phage therapy; precision medicine
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/frabi.2026.1772871
  6. Infect Immun. 2026 Feb 26. e0054325
    Bacteriophage-mediated reduction of uropathogenic E. coli from the urogenital epithelium.
    Bishnu Joshi, Jacob J Zulk, Camille Serchejian, Zainab A Hameed, Addison B Larson, Austen L Terwilliger, Deepak Kumar, Indira U Mysorekar, Robert A Britton, Anthony W Maresso, Kathryn A Patras.
      Urinary tract infections (UTIs), primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), affect millions annually. UPEC gains access to the urinary tract through mucosal reservoirs, including the vaginal tract. With rising antibiotic resistance and frequent recurrence, alternative non-antibiotic strategies like bacteriophage (phage) therapy are gaining attention. We explored the potential of a lytic phage, ΦHP3, as well as a phage cocktail to decolonize UPEC from the urogenital tract using in vitro and in vivo models. Phage demonstrated replication and lytic activity in both bacteriologic medium and simulated vaginal fluid. Pretreatment of human vaginal epithelial cells (VK2/E6E7) and bladder carcinoma cells (HTB-9) with phage reduced adhesion and invasion of UPEC compared with controls. Phage treatment was further able to reduce intracellular UPEC in VK2 cells. Notably, phage pretreatment did not impact phage-resistant UPEC strains, indicating that phage lysis was the primary driver of phenotypes. Live confocal microscopy confirmed the interaction of phage particles with UPEC and with both epithelial cell lines. In vivo, daily intravaginal ΦHP3 administration in humanized microbiota mice significantly reduced vaginal UPEC burden after 4 days. Treatment with a phage cocktail also reduced vaginal and cervical tissue burdens by day 7 post-treatment. UPEC dissemination was observed in uterine and kidney tissues, but burdens were not different between phage and mock-treated groups. In conclusion, we demonstrate that phage and phage cocktails can modestly reduce UPEC urogenital colonization, highlighting the potential of phage therapy as a viable prevention strategy for UTI.
    Keywords:  bacteriophage therapy; urinary tract infection; uropathogenic E. coli; vaginal colonization
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.00543-25
  7. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2026 Feb 23.
    A novel phage encoding host defense modulators demonstrates in-vivo therapeutic efficacy against carbapenem-resistant E. coli ST1432.
    Aylin Uskudar Guclu, Nisanur Ayas, Farzaneh Bonyadi, Sezin Unlu Celebi.
      
    Keywords:   Galleria mellonella ; Bacteriophage; Carbapenem-resistant E. coli ; One health; Phage therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-026-05422-7
  8. J Funct Biomater. 2026 Jan 26. pii: 60. [Epub ahead of print]17(2):
    Electrospun Phage-Loaded Bilayer Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Wound Dressing Applications: A Comparative Study of Different Bacteriophages.
    Siavash Aghili, Muhammed Awad, Md Hasib Adnan, George Bouras, Tran Thanh Tung, Sarah Vreugde, Dusan Losic.
      Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health threat, necessitating alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Bacteriophages, viruses that specifically target bacteria, represent a promising option, and phage-loaded electrospun fibers have recently gained attention as wound dressings for localized phage therapy. However, the influence of phage morphology and scaffold design has been largely overlooked. This study investigates how phage morphology and structure, in conjunction with scaffold design and processing conditions, may influence the biological performance of electrospun scaffolds. A bilayer scaffold was developed comprising a supportive polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin (70:30) layer and a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) top layer loaded with bacteriophages. Two phage types, short-tailed podovirus APTC-SL.1 and long-tailed myovirus APTC-Efa.20, were incorporated into PVA fibers to evaluate their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus lugdunensis and Enterococcus faecalis, respectively. The fibers were characterized using XRD, FTIR, TGA, optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, wettability analysis, and in vitro degradation tests. Biological assessments included antimicrobial testing, phage viability, and phage release. The bilayer scaffold containing short-tailed phages preserved phage viability and produced clear zones of lysis against S. lugdunensis, with ≈8.15% viability retained after electrospinning and relatively controlled release, whereas long-tailed phages showed no antibacterial activity. These results suggest that phage structure and morphology, together with electrospinning conditions and scaffold architecture, may play an important role in maintaining phage functionality in wound dressing applications, while acknowledging that host-phage interactions may also contribute to the observed differences.
    Keywords:  antibacterial efficacy; electrospinning; phage therapy; phages; wound dressing; wound healing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb17020060
  9. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2026 Feb 08. pii: 191. [Epub ahead of print]48(2):
    Diverse Bacterial Anti-Phage Strategies: From the Laboratory to the Clinic.
    Yong Shao, Zhu Gao, Ying Zhang, Jianqiong Zhang.
      Refractory infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria have emerged as a substantial threat to public health, prompting renewed interest in phage therapy. Bacteria and phages are ubiquitous in diverse environments, engaging in continuous interaction and co-evolution. In response to phage infection, bacteria have developed an array of defense mechanisms. Current studies on bacteria-phage interactions predominantly focus on laboratory settings using artificial media, whereas the final goal of phage therapy-to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria-lies in its clinical application. This review describes bacterial defense strategies against phage infection in the context of laboratory-based artificial media, animal experiments and clinical cases, aiming to deepen the understanding of bacteria-phage interactions and promote the advancement of effective phage therapy for clinical applications.
    Keywords:  anti-phage defense; bacteria–phage interaction; multidrug-resistant bacteria; phage resistance; phage therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48020191
  10. Sci Rep. 2026 Feb 22.
    Pseudolysogeny-mediated evolutionary trade-offs favor phage therapy by limiting antibiotic resistance and virulence in Cutibacterium acnes.
    Abigail Trejo-Hernández, Alberto Checa, Raul Quijada-Ibarra, Patricia Sepúlveda-Gutíerrez, Susana Soto, Andrés Andrade-Domínguez.
      Phage therapy has mostly focused on strictly lytic phages, yet the ecological and evolutionary implications of pseudolysogeny remain poorly understood. Pseudolysogeny-where a phage genome persists in a non-integrated, latent state within the host-has been largely overlooked due to concerns about therapeutic efficacy. Here, we demonstrate that pseudolysogeny in Cutibacterium acnes confers superinfection resistance but imposes substantial fitness costs, including reduced biofilm formation, impaired interspecies competitiveness, and reversal of antibiotic resistance. Pseudolysogenic phages were also capable of killing starved C. acnes cells through direct lytic replication. No evidence of transduction of clindamycin resistance by these phages was detected. In a 3-month proof-of-concept study, topical application of a pseudolysogenic phage significantly reduced C. acnes abundance, acne lesions, and inflammation, with no adverse effects and persistence of viable phages post-treatment. Importantly, no phage-resistant C. acnes clones were detected during the in vivo study, likely due to the evolutionary trade-offs associated with pseudolysogeny that diminish the bacterial ecological fitness. These findings highlight pseudolysogeny as a mechanism that can be leveraged to enhance phage therapy outcomes while maintaining microbiome stability and limiting antibiotic resistance evolution.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-40701-5
  11. bioRxiv. 2026 Feb 11. pii: 2024.04.30.591980. [Epub ahead of print]
    Bacterial Receptors but Not Anti-Phage Defense Mechanisms Determine Host Range for a Pair of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lytic Phages.
    Dea M Müller, Julie D Pourtois, Minyoung K Kim, Bobby Targ, Elizabeth B Burgener, Carlos Milla, Maryam Hajfathalian, Hemaa Selvakumar, Joel Berry, Max Hopkins, Robert McBride, Jyot D Antani, Paul E Turner, Jonathan L Koff, Paul L Bollyky.
      Limited phage host range remains one of the obstacles to the widespread use of phage therapy against bacterial infections. Here, we perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates collected from people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) to identify bacterial genes associated with resistance or susceptibility to two lytic phages, OMKO1 and LPS-5, recently used in a clinical trial in pwCF. Results were validated with transposon mutagenesis experiments and functional assays. Genes associated with flagellum assembly and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis are essential for infection by OMKO1 and LPS-5, respectively, consistent with functional studies implicating these molecules as receptors for these phages. Notably, the presence of bacterial genes encoding phage defense mechanisms is not predictive of phage susceptibility. Instead, the relative abundance of defense elements is associated with the number of temperate phages within bacterial genomes. Together, our findings highlight the central role of receptors in determining phage host range.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.04.30.591980
  12. Antibiotics (Basel). 2026 Feb 06. pii: 180. [Epub ahead of print]15(2):
    A Century-Old Solution for 21st Century Challenges: Current Applications with a Focus on Biocontrol, Environmental Impacts, and Regulatory Perspectives.
    Anaelle Baud, Inès Rougis, Franck Bertolla.
      In the face of rising antimicrobial resistance, food insecurity, and climate change, bacteriophages are gaining renewed attention as promising biological alternatives to antibiotics across human, animal, and plant health sectors. Their high specificity, self-replicating capacity, and biodegradability make them valuable tools for combating antimicrobial or pesticide resistance and promoting sustainable biocontrol. This review discusses commonly accepted selection criteria for therapeutic phages, such as avoiding temperate types and screening for undesirable genes, while acknowledging ongoing debates and exceptions in specific clinical or ecological contexts. An overview of phage-based applications within a One Health framework is provided, spanning human medicine, veterinary practice, aquaculture, food safety and crop protection. Particular attention is given to agricultural biocontrol, where several successful plant protection strategies are highlighted, illustrating the feasibility and diversity of phage-based approaches. Despite their potential, key challenges remain regarding phage stability, formulation, and persistence under environmental conditions. Emerging innovations such as encapsulation, carrier bacteria, and protective formulations aim to enhance field performance. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the need to assess the environmental safety of phage applications, particularly their impacts on natural ecosystems, microbial communities, and ecological functions. Finally, the regulatory and policy challenges that currently limit the large-scale deployment of phages, particularly in the European Union, where they remain evaluated under conventional chemical pesticide frameworks are discussed. The development of dedicated regulatory pathways, better adapted to the specificities of phages, is argued to be essential for supporting their integration into agroecological transition strategies and next-generation antimicrobial policies.
    Keywords:  One Health; agroecological transition; bacteriophage; environmental safety; phage therapy; phage-bacteria coevolution; phage-based plant protection; regulatory frameworks
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15020180
  13. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2026 Feb 25. pii: S0924-8579(26)00048-8. [Epub ahead of print] 107759
    Formulating and stabilising therapeutic phages: A review.
    Eleni Siafakas, Hien T T Duong, Jonathan R Iredell.
      Bacteriophages (phages) have been revitalised as a promising alternative option to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria. However, the ability to upscale and commercialise this therapy is currently limited by the poor shelf-stability of therapeutic preparations. Phage therapy has been ongoing for a century yet a standardised approach to formulating therapeutic phages is currently lacking due to the diverse chemical landscape of these viruses and the different storage methods reported. With consideration of protein and biotherapeutic literature, this review examines the evidence surrounding the effects of container materials, buffers and media, salt and ions, pH, temperature, polymers, surfactants and semi-solid formulations on the shelf-stability of phages. Loss of viability appears to be phage dependent but can be attributed to surface adsorption, colloidal instability, aggregation phenomena and compromises to structural integrity and function. Thus, the aim of this review is to discuss current findings, identify knowledge gaps and inform the direction of future stabilisation studies.
    Keywords:  Bacteriophages; colloids; excipients; non-ionic formulations; protein stability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2026.107759
  14. Pharmaceutics. 2026 Feb 03. pii: 197. [Epub ahead of print]18(2):
    Emerging Therapeutic Approaches for Modulating the Intestinal Microbiota.
    Ilaria Cosimato, Annalisa Brescia, Gianluigi Franci, Vincenzo Casolaro, Veronica Folliero.
      Background/Objectives: The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a key determinant of human health, playing a vital role in metabolism, immunity, and disease susceptibility. Dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance, is associated with gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), as well as extraintestinal conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and neuropsychiatric disorders. This review aims to provide an updated overview of emerging therapeutic strategies to modulate the gut microbiota to restore eubiosis and improve health outcomes. Methods: A narrative review of recent literature was conducted, focusing on preclinical and clinical studies investigating microbiota-targeted therapies. The review primarily covers innovative interventional approaches, including fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), bacterial consortium transplantation (BCT), bacteriophage therapy and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Results: Evidence supports the role of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics in remodeling microbial communities and improving host health, although their effects may be strain- and context-dependent. FMT has demonstrated high efficacy in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infections and is being studied for IBD, IBS and extraintestinal diseases, following the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of the first commercial FMT products. BCT offers a standardized alternative to donor-derived material, with early clinical successes such as FDA-approved SER-109. Phage therapy and OMVs represent promising frontiers, offering targeted microbial modulation and interactions with the immune system, although clinical data remain limited. Conclusions: Emerging gut microbiota modulation strategies offer new perspectives for precision medicine and could transform the prevention and treatment of many diseases, but further studies are needed to ensure their safety, standardization, and clinical application.
    Keywords:  BCT; FMT; OMVs; dysbiosis; microbiota; therapeutics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18020197
  15. Phage (New Rochelle). 2026 Feb 08.
    Discovery and characterization of a novel Pseudomonas phage of a new genus.
    Paul Nicholls, Justin R Clark, Anthony Maresso.
       Background: Bacteriophages exhibit great diversity and are classically divided into lytic and temperate lifestyles. Commonly, bioinformatics is used to predict the temperate lifestyle. As the nosocomial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is common in freshwater, this biome represents an ideal location for the discovery of Pseudomonas phages.
    Materials and Methods: We characterized a genetically distinct species of Pseudomonas phage using next-generation sequencing and conventional microbiological methods. We characterized its lifestyle by purifying infected colonies and identifying persistent phage production.
    Results: Genetics revealed a phage of a novel genus. Characterization showed a narrow host range and bioinformatics suggested a lytic lifestyle. Experimental data showed lysogeny and analysis was consistent with an episomal lifestyle instead of the classic model of integration into the host genome.
    Conclusions: We identify and characterize a new Pseudomonas phage, show potential limitations of bioinformatic predictions of lifestyle, and further contribute to the diversity of the phage tree of life.
    Keywords:  Pseudomonas; bacteriophage; lysogeny
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/26416549251406410
  16. Br J Biomed Sci. 2026 ;83 15559
    Antimicrobial Resistance: The Answers.
    Beverley C Millar, Mary J Cates, Marco S Torrisi, Amanda J Round, Aisling Warde, Colm J Lowery, John E Moore.
      Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has caused a global public health crisis, contributing to approximately five million deaths in 2019 and predicted deaths of approximately ten million annually by 2050. This equates to approximately 1.4-fold more deaths annually from AMR in 2050 than the entire COVID-19 pandemic to date. To tackle this AMR pandemic, regulatory and policy frameworks have been prepared at local, national and international levels with multi-faceted proposals and advances encompassing surveillance, diagnostics, infection prevention, antibiotic prescribing and variation of existing and novel treatment approaches. This narrative review primarily focuses on research and development which have been documented over the last five years in relation to therapeutic approaches at various stages in clinical development and the potential role that vaccines can play in the fight against AMR. This review provides an overview on antibacterial drugs, including novel classes of antibiotics, which have been recently approved, as well as combination antibiotic therapy and the potential of repurposed drugs. The potential role of novel antimicrobial, antibiofilm and quorum sensing inhibitors, such as antimicrobial peptides, nanomaterials and compounds from the extreme and natural environments, as well as ethnopharmacology including the antimicrobial effects of plants, spices, honey and venoms are explored. Novel therapeutic approaches are critically discussed in terms of their realistic clinical potential, detailing recent and ongoing trials to highlight the current interest of these approaches, including immunotherapy, bacteriophage therapy, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), antimicrobial sonodynamic therapy (aSDT), nitric oxide therapy and microbiome manipulation including faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The potential of predatory bacteria as living antimicrobial agents is also discussed. Importantly, there have been many technological developments which have enhanced bioprospecting and research and development of novel antimicrobials which this review draws attention to, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and Organ-on-a-Chip devices. Finally, key messages from the recent World Health Organization report into the role of vaccines against AMR provides an interesting perspective relating to prevention which can be of significance in tackling the AMR burden.
    Keywords:  antibiotic; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial resistance (AMR); bacteriophage therapy; cystic fibrosis; innovation; new approaches; policy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/bjbs.2026.15559
  17. Arch Virol. 2026 Feb 23. pii: 91. [Epub ahead of print]171(3):
    Isolation, characterization and evaluation of a novel phage against Elizabethkingia anophelis.
    Xing Yang, Cao Qiu, Baoyu Gan, Xiaoyan Zeng, Yawen Wang, Yingli He, Jingmin Gu, Bing Liu.
      
    Keywords:   Elizabethkingia anophelis ; Novel phage; Phage therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-026-06549-w
  18. Pathogens. 2026 Feb 08. pii: 188. [Epub ahead of print]15(2):
    Elevated Antibacterial Activity of a Polygalacturonic + Caprylic Acids Wound Ointment Compared with Hypochlorous Acid in a Three-Dimensional Wound Biofilm Model.
    Bahgat Gerges, Joel Rosenblatt, Y-Lan Truong, Ying Jiang, Issam Raad.
      Bacterial biofilms play a major role in delayed wound-healing and in the development of chronic, non-healing wounds. Natural, plant-based agents, which can eradicate bacterial biofilms, are alternatives to antibiotics and antiseptics in the treatment of bacterially contaminated wounds. Bacterial wound biofilms are three-dimensional and complex microbial communities. Therefore, in this study, we used a three-dimensional fibrin-gel wound biofilm (FGWB) model to compare a commonly used natural agent in wound care, hypochlorous acid (HOCl), to a combination of two natural plant-based agents, polygalacturonic acid (PG) and caprylic acid (CAP) (PG + CAP), for their abilities to eradicate resistant bacterial biofilms of common wound pathogens methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), multi-drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, metallo β-Lactamase Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus pyogenes. PG + CAP produced a significantly greater reduction in viable organisms when compared to HOCL (p ≤ 0.05) against all tested bacterial isolates. PG + CAP was highly effective against biofilms of all resistant bacterial isolates and is a promising option that merits further study for treating chronic wounds contaminated with bacterial biofilms.
    Keywords:  Streptococcus pyogenes; fibrin-gel wound biofilm (FGWB) model; hypochlorous acid (HOCl); metallo β-Lactamase E. coli; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); multi-drug resistant (MDR) P. aeruginosa; polygalacturonic + caprylic acids (PG + CAP)
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15020188
  19. Microbiol Spectr. 2026 Feb 27. e0327625
    Alterations in the gut virome of children with allergic rhinitis: enrichment of pro-inflammatory bacteriophages and depletion of fungal viruses.
    Wei Yang, Lindong Shi, Xiuyun Li, Fuguang Rao, Rongrong Luo, Congfu Huang.
      This study aimed to characterize the gut virome in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) and explore its interactions with immune markers and allergens. Metagenomic sequencing was performed on fecal samples from 16 AR and 17 healthy control (HC) children. Viral genes (VGs) were identified and taxonomically annotated using BLASTP against the NCBI NR database. Virome diversity, differential abundance, and correlations with IgE were analyzed using LEfSe, random forest, and Spearman correlation. While alpha diversity did not differ, beta diversity revealed subtle compositional trends. Taranisvirus was enriched in AR and positively correlated with total IgE (ρ = 0.4647, P = 0.045). Mitovirus and Duamitovirus were depleted in AR and negatively correlated with allergens. Virus-bacteria co-occurrence network analysis revealed a reconfigured ecological interactome in AR, characterized by pro-phage-centric associations that may disrupt mucosal immune homeostasis. Random forest identified total IgE, milk, and dust mite as top discriminators. This first study of the gut virome in pediatric AR reveals a pro-inflammatory phage enrichment and protective fungal virus depletion, implicating the virome in modulating Th2 immunity. These findings suggest a potential correlation between virome alterations and allergic diseases, which may inform future research on virome-targeted interventions.IMPORTANCEAllergic rhinitis is a prevalent childhood condition with a significant impact on quality of life, yet its pathogenesis is not fully understood. While the bacterial microbiome has been studied, the role of the gut virome remains largely unexplored. Our study provides the first evidence of gut virome dysbiosis in children with allergic rhinitis. We identified specific pro-inflammatory bacteriophages that are enriched and correlated with IgE levels, as well as protective fungal viruses that are depleted. These findings offer new perspectives on allergic disease pathogenesis by suggesting a potential role of the virome in modulating host immunity. This work not only opens a new avenue for understanding the environmental and microbial drivers of allergic diseases but also suggests the potential for novel virome-based diagnostics and therapeutic strategies, such as phage therapy, which could have a broad impact on clinical practice.This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as ChiCTR2400085982.
    Keywords:  IgE; allergic rhinitis; bacteriophage; children; fungal virus; gut virome; immune modulation; metagenomics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.03276-25
  20. Nursing. 2026 Mar 01. 56(3): 27-28
    Wound care basics: An overview for nurses.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/NSG.0000000000000360
  21. Brief Bioinform. 2026 Jan 07. pii: bbag085. [Epub ahead of print]27(1):
    Towards accurate artificial intelligence models for strain-level phage-host prediction.
    Chris J Malajczuk, Andrew Vaitekenas, Joshua J Iszatt, Stephen M Stick, Anthony Kicic, Yuliya V Karpievitch.
      Strain-level prediction of phage-host interactions (PHIs) is essential for developing targeted phage therapies. Traditional empirical and homology-based methods often lack the resolution and scalability needed for precision applications. Recently, a new generation of artificial intelligence-driven models has emerged leveraging genomic information to infer PHIs at strain-level resolution. Here, we review recent advances in strain-level PHI prediction, spanning biologically grounded feature-based models, hybrid representation-learning frameworks, phylogeny-agnostic machine learning approaches, and end-to-end deep learning architectures. We examine how these modelling strategies navigate shared structural constraints arising from sparse and imbalanced outcome data, assay-dependent labels, infection complexity, and limited generalization. We further analyse how evaluation design, negative definition, and train-test splitting strategies shape apparent strain-level performance, and why inappropriate benchmarking can inflate claims of biological resolution. Framing these issues in the context of clinical phage therapy, we examine how current strain-level PHI prediction frameworks perform under the biological, experimental, and data constraints characteristic of real-world therapeutic settings. Finally, we outline pragmatic pathways toward more robust, interpretable, and clinically translatable PHI prediction systems.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; bacteriophage; phage therapy; phage–host interactions; predictive modelling; strain-level prediction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/bib/bbag085
  22. Microorganisms. 2026 Feb 02. pii: 344. [Epub ahead of print]14(2):
    Beyond Antibiotics: Therapeutic Strategies Utilizing Probiotics and Bacteriophages Against Drug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
    Miao Zhao, Dongli Rong, Ling Chen, Shuzhen Cai, Yongcheng Lu, Jingsha Dai, Youxiong Zhang, Xianhu Wei, Xiaojuan Yang, Qingping Wu.
      Staphylococcus aureus, as a critical zoonotic and foodborne pathogen, not only triggers public health threats such as food poisoning but also acts as a leading cause of diverse clinical infections, including skin infections, pneumonia, and endocarditis. Confronted with the growing crisis of multidrug resistance in S. aureus, both phage therapy and probiotic therapy have emerged as promising alternative biological strategies; however, the current literature predominantly examines them in isolation. This review therefore aims to delineate the contemporary therapeutic challenges of drug-resistant S. aureus and to systematically compare the mechanisms and clinical translation of phages and probiotics within an integrated analytical framework. We first outline the current therapy landscape, then present side by side the molecular inhibitory mechanisms and clinical progress of both approaches, followed by a comparative analysis of their antibacterial mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and industrial challenges. Through this consolidated perspective, the review not only clarifies the distinct strengths and limitations of each strategy but also seeks to provide researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive mechanistic and evidence-based reference for developing novel antibacterial technologies and designing innovative therapeutic regimens. Ultimately, it highlights potential synergies between phages and probiotics, offering a forward-looking roadmap to overcome S. aureus resistance and advance personalized combinatorial therapies.
    Keywords:  Staphylococcus aureus; antibiotic resistance; bacteriophage; biocontrol strategies; lysins; probiotics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020344
  23. Br J Community Nurs. 2026 Mar 02. 31(3): 122-127
    Pain relief in chronic wounds in older people and its impact on healing and quality of life.
    Linda Nazarko.
      In the UK, around 7% (3.8 million) of adults have wounds; the number of people with wounds is increasing by 11% every year, whereas the healing rates are falling. Although most acute wounds (89%) heal within 1 year, only 49% of chronic wounds heal in the same time period. Many people with chronic wounds experience pain, which impairs wound healing and impacts quality of life. This article will examine the prevalence of pain in people with leg ulcers, pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers. The author explores the types of pain and how to work with the older person to manage pain, improve wound healing and enhance quality of life.
    Keywords:  chronic wounds; diabetic foot ulcers; holistic care; leg ulcers; pain relief; pressure ulcers
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2026.0017
  24. Methods Cell Biol. 2026 ;pii: S0091-679X(25)00251-1. [Epub ahead of print]203 111-127
    Experimental models and methods for infected wound modeling with Staphylococcus aureus.
    Estela Pérez, Guillermo Landa, Isabel Bescós, Ignacio Ochoa, Elena Tapia.
      Acute or chronic non-healing wounds place nowadays a massive financial burden on healthcare systems. Although we have gained much knowledge about the fundamental molecular and cellular mechanisms that promotes healthy, acute wound healing from various animal models, further preclinical research is necessary to explore the pathology and role of infection in the development and persistence of both acute and chronic non-healing wounds. In this study we present a comprehensive protocol for the generation of an infected acute or chronic non-healing wound on a mouse model that could serve as a useful tool for uncovering pathological mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for eventual translation to the clinic.
    Keywords:  XX
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.mcb.2025.12.009
  25. Antibiotics (Basel). 2026 Feb 01. pii: 142. [Epub ahead of print]15(2):
    Outpatient Cutaneous Wound Care in the United States: Specialty Distribution and Antimicrobial Prescribing Patterns.
    Ayman Grada, Rithi John Chandy, Jiwon Park, Steven R Feldman.
      Background: Cutaneous wounds are common in outpatient care, but national patterns of who manages them and how antimicrobials are used remain unclear. Objectives: To characterize outpatient specialty involvement and antimicrobial use for acute and chronic cutaneous wound visits in the United States. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 2011-2019 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data. Cutaneous wound visits were identified using prespecified ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes and classified as acute (open or traumatic wounds and burns) or chronic (pressure injuries and lower-limb ulcers). Survey weights were applied to estimate national visit volumes, specialty shares, and antimicrobial utilization patterns. Results: We identified 45.1 million cutaneous wound visits, representing 0.8% of all outpatient visits, of which about two thirds were acute and one third chronic. Primary care physicians accounted for the largest share of wound visits, while dermatologists managed 3.9% of overall wound visits, 2.4% of acute visits, and 7.4% of chronic visits. Among 156.6 million medications recorded at wound visits, antimicrobials represented 13.1% overall, 14.9% in acute visits, and 10.2% in chronic visits. Cephalexin accounted for 32.1% of antimicrobial medications overall and 39.2% in acute visits, whereas chronic wound visits had a more heterogeneous antimicrobial profile that included topical mupirocin, cephalexin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and topical nystatin. Conclusions: Outpatient cutaneous wound care in the United States is delivered predominantly by primary care clinicians and relies heavily on a small set of systemic and topical antimicrobials, highlighting opportunities to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and expand dermatology's role in chronic wound management.
    Keywords:  NAMCS; antibiotics; antimicrobial stewardship; cephalexin; chronic wounds; cutaneous wounds; dermatology; primary care; topical antimicrobials; wound infection
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15020142
  26. Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2026 Feb 27.
    Deciphering microbial biofilm: mechanism, infection, and advanced approaches for control.
    Ankit Pathak, Jasdeep Singh, Swati, Vagish Dwibedi.
      Microbial biofilms are densely organised microbial communities that adhere to biotic and abiotic surfaces, encased within an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Microorganisms within these biofilm structures gain enhanced protection, versatility, and resistance to external stresses, antibiotics, and host immune systems. The biofilm formation follows a series of steps, including initial microbial adherence, microcolony establishment, EPS production, regulation by quorum sensing (QS), and dispersal. This flexibility enables biofilm survival in multiple environments, such as medical devices and natural systems, posing serious challenges in healthcare, agricultural, and industrial sectors. The review focuses on the mechanisms involved in biofilm formation and discusses the role of EPS in promoting biofilm stability and resistance to antimicrobials. It addresses biofilm-associated infections in medical environments, such as chronic wounds, cystic fibrosis, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and complications with implanted medical devices. The capacity of biofilm-forming microorganisms to evade immune responses and persist through extended antibiotic use highlights the urgent demand for novel therapeutic approaches. The discussion includes emerging strategies for biofilm control, including anti-biofilm agents, QS inhibitors, enzymatic treatments, and innovative combination therapies combining antibiotics with biofilm-disrupting agents. Emerging technologies, like antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), CRISPR-Cas systems, nanotechnology, and bioelectric therapies, present innovative biofilm disruption and removal approaches. This paper discusses the effectiveness of natural products, plant-derived compounds, and bacteriophage therapies for mitigating biofilm-associated infections linked to biofilms. The review examines the dynamic challenges posed by biofilms, particularly their role in chronic and device-related infections, which contribute to significant healthcare complications. The study highlights the significance of adopting new approaches to overcome biofilm-induced antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and improve therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, this paper discusses the promising potential of emerging technologies, such as nanomaterials, QS interference, and biofilm-specific antimicrobial agents, in enhancing biofilm control and prevention measures across clinical, industrial, and environmental domains.
    Keywords:  Anti-adhesive coatings; Anti-biofilm agents; Antibiotic resistance; Antimicrobial; Biofilm control; Biofilms; Extracellular polysaccharides; Nanotechnology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-026-01422-4
  27. Int Wound J. 2026 Mar;23(3): e70866
    Mapping Person-Centred Care in Wound Management: A Scoping Review of Frameworks, Concepts and Outcome Measures.
    Eva-Maria Panfil, Federica Soldo, Sebastian Probst.
      Person-centred care (PCC) has been increasingly promoted in wound management, yet its theoretical foundations and practical application remain unclear. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesise how PCC frameworks, concepts and outcome measures have been used in wound care. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across major databases for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Eligible sources included empirical research, reviews and conceptual papers addressing PCC in adults with chronic wounds. Data were extracted and analysed descriptively across conceptual and evaluative domains. Fourteen publications met inclusion criteria. Only one explicit framework of person-centred wound care was identified. Most studies referred to patient-centred rather than person-centred approaches and applied principles such as empowerment, shared decision-making and communication without consistent theoretical grounding. Outcome assessment focuses mainly on clinical or functional indicators, with limited attention to relational or experience-based dimensions of care. Some studies used the term person-centred as an unreflected keyword. Person-centred wound management remains conceptually fragmented, methodologically heterogeneous and sometimes unreflected. Greater theoretical precision, consensus on terminology and development of validated frameworks and measurement tools are required to translate person-centred principles into consistent, evidence-based clinical practice.
    Keywords:  empowerment; patient education; patient‐reported outcomes; person‐centred care; scoping review; shared decision‐making; wound management
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.70866
  28. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2026 Feb 24. pii: S0190-9622(26)00300-2. [Epub ahead of print]
    Comments on "Clinical Pearl: Topical Lactobacillus application to disrupt Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and promote healing in chronic wounds".
    Yaojun Wang.
      
    Keywords:  Cefazolin,Lactobacillus; Chronic wound healing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2026.01.099
  29. Respir Res. 2026 Feb 27.
    Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes is associated with reduced airway microbial diversity.
    Stefanie Diemer, Katja Kozjek, Lisa I Påhlman.
      
    Keywords:  Airway inflammation; Cystic fibrosis; Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes; Lung function; Microbiome
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-026-03598-2
  30. World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2026 Feb 28. pii: 110. [Epub ahead of print]42(3):
    A comprehensive analysis of the kinetics of infection of lytic bacteriophages specific to the ESKAPE and critical pathogens.
    Olaf Bajrak, Martyna Cieślik, Andrzej Górski, Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak.
      
    Keywords:  Cycle parameters; ESKAPE group; Lytic bacteriophage
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-025-04762-4
  31. Front Immunol. 2026 ;17 1707949
    Immunomodulatory effects of oral microbiota in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.
    Yiming Yang, Guanyuan Wang, Yongzhou Song, Jun Ma, Aijing Liu.
      Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent synovial inflammation, progressive cartilage and bone destruction, and resulting functional disability. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial, involving both genetic predisposition and environmental influences. In recent years, the interaction between the oral microbiota and RA has emerged as a prominent research focus. Dysbiosis of the oral microbiome, defined as an imbalance in microbial composition relative to a healthy state, accompanies disease onset and may further act as a trigger of systemic autoimmune responses. Specific virulence factors, including the peptidylarginine deiminase from Porphyromonas gingivalis and leukotoxin A from Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, promote excessive protein citrullination and anti-citrullinated protein antibody generation, thereby contributing to the loss of immune tolerance, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals. Moreover, the bidirectional relationship between RA and periodontitis highlights shared inflammatory pathways that contribute to both periodontal and joint tissue destruction. Potential mechanisms include bacteremia induced by routine oral activities, systemic dissemination of bacterial products, and colonization of oral microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract. Current evidence suggests that periodontal therapy may reduce systemic inflammatory markers and occasionally improve RA activity, although results remain inconsistent. In this review, we explored the potential mechanisms underlying the imbalance of the oral microbiota and its contribution to the onset and progression of RA, focusing on microbially induced citrullination, host genetic susceptibility, and common inflammatory pathways, while also discussing the impact of comprehensive periodontal management and lifestyle interventions on RA outcomes. Overall, these insights underscore the role of the oral microbiome in RA pathogenesis and suggest that addressing microbial dysbiosis through integrated therapeutic strategies may complement conventional care.
    Keywords:  Leukotoxin A; microbial dysbiosis; oral microbiota; peptidylarginine deiminase; periodontal disease; rheumatoid arthritis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1707949
  32. Pharmaceutics. 2026 Jan 30. pii: 185. [Epub ahead of print]18(2):
    Nano-Enabled Delivery of Phage-Based Antibacterials Against ESKAPE Pathogens.
    Ayman Elbehiry, Eman Marzouk, Adil Abalkhail.
      Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a major clinical challenge, with Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species (ESKAPE) accounting for a substantial share of multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections worldwide. These organisms undermine antibiotic efficacy through reduced permeability, surface shielding, biofilm formation, and rapid genetic adaptation, mechanisms that primarily restrict effective exposure at infection sites. Bacteriophages, phage-derived enzymes, and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based antimicrobials provide selective and mechanistically distinct alternatives to conventional antibiotics, but their performance in vivo is often limited by instability in physiological environments, immune neutralization, uneven tissue distribution, and insufficient access to bacteria protected by biofilms or surface-associated barriers. This narrative review examines how nanotechnology-based delivery systems can address these constraints. We first outline the delivery-relevant biological barrier characteristic of ESKAPE pathogens, then summarize the therapeutic potential and inherent limitations of whole phages, phage-derived enzymes, and CRISPR-based antimicrobials when used without formulation. Major nanotechnology platforms for antibacterial delivery are reviewed, followed by analysis of how nano-enabled systems can improve stability, localization, and persistence of these biological agents. A pathogen-aware integration framework is presented that links dominant barriers in each ESKAPE pathogen to the biological modality and nano-enabled delivery strategy most likely to enhance exposure at infection sites. Translational challenges, regulatory considerations, and emerging directions, including responsive delivery systems and personalized approaches, are also discussed. Overall, nano-enabled phage-based therapeutics represent a realistic and adaptable strategy for managing MDR ESKAPE infections. Therapeutic success depends on both continued discovery and engineering of antibacterial agents and effective delivery design.
    Keywords:  CRISPR antimicrobials; ESKAPE pathogens; antibiotic resistance; bacteriophages; biofilm-associated infections; nanocarrier; nanotechnology-based delivery; phage-derived enzymes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18020185
  33. Biosens Bioelectron. 2026 Feb 18. pii: S0956-5663(26)00179-X. [Epub ahead of print]302 118547
    Microneedle-integrated biosensors for smart wound monitoring.
    Raquel L Pereira, Xavier Muñoz-Berbel, Sanna Sillankorva.
      The process of wound healing after an injury is a complex and tightly regulated phenomenon, which can sometimes become arrested, leading to the formation of wounds that fail to heal in a timely manner (chronic wounds, CWs). Today, CWs are a rising global healthcare problem, aggravated by the increase in obesity and diabetes. They affect millions of people worldwide, deeply restricting their quality of life and often leading to amputations or even death. Moreover, pathogenic microorganisms colonize 60-80% of these wounds, further delaying healing and worsening patient outcomes. To monitor this condition, patients are subjected to frequent visual inspections of the wound area, which can disturb healing, and sometimes painful, resource-draining biopsies that take days to yield results. The past decade has been marked by a boom in smart dressings, which aim not only to facilitate healing but also to monitor the wound environment. Likewise, microneedle-based (MN-based) devices have been gaining traction as promising alternatives to conventional laboratory-based analysis. In light of these advancements, the number of publications on MN-integrated biosensors for monitoring infected and CWs increased significantly last year, reflecting the growing interest of the research community in this topic and the urgent societal need for these devices. As such, this article aims to review and critically analyze recent trends in the design and development of MN-based sensing platforms for the wound environment, to gain new insights that could accelerate the introduction of minimally invasive sensing products for CW management into the market.
    Keywords:  Bioelectronics; Biosensors; Chronic wounds; Microneedles; Monitoring; Wearables
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2026.118547
  34. J Biomed Sci. 2026 Feb 21. pii: 19. [Epub ahead of print]33(1):
    The emerging pathogen Candida auris: host interactions and disease drivers.
    Daniel Ruben Akiola Sanya, Ashley Valle Arevalo, Djamila Onésime, Clarissa J Nobile.
      Candida auris has emerged over the past fifteen years as a multidrug-resistant human fungal pathogen responsible for hospital-acquired infections associated with high mortality rates. Clinical isolates frequently exhibit resistance to one or more first-line antifungal drugs, and management is further complicated by persistent colonization, biofilm formation, and historical misidentification in diagnostic laboratories. Rapid species-level identification and accurate antifungal susceptibility testing are critical for effective patient care and infection control. In this article, we summarize the clinical spectrum of C. auris infections, highlight key pathogenic traits and clade-specific biological differences, and discuss emerging diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative strategies-including novel antifungal agents, host-directed therapies, and vaccine development-that may improve detection and expand treatment options for C. auris infections.
    Keywords:   Candida auris ; Antifungal agents; Antimicrobial resistance; Cellular microbiology; Clinical microbiology; Diagnostic markers; Fungal infection; Fungi; Pathogens
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-026-01230-5
  35. Cureus. 2026 Jan;18(1): e102024
    Nursing Care and Patient Education for Ulcerative Colitis Patients in Japan: A Scoping Review.
    Asuka Hashino, Kentaro Hara.
      Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease marked by continuous inflammation of the mucosal lining of the rectum and colon, often leading to erosion and ulcer formation. The number of patients with UC in Japan has been increasing annually. The importance of self-care, which is crucial in the management of this chronic disease, has grown. This study aimed to assess the current status of nursing care and patient education provided by nurses to patients with UC in Japan through a scoping review. We used the following search keywords: "ulcerative colitis", "nursing", "self-management", "patient education", and "diet therapy". We searched the Japan Medical Abstracts Society Web (Ichushi-Web) and CiNii databases. Based on predefined inclusion criteria, two researchers independently screened articles. From the selected studies, data on nursing care and patient education provided by nurses were extracted. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, including six case reports and one survey study. The extracted content of nursing care and patient education was categorized into eight categories: Stoma Management and Care, Guidance on Self-Management of Medication and Wound Care, Collaboration and Coordination with Other Professionals, Pain Management, Wound and Ulcer Care, Assistance with Activities of Daily Living, Patient Understanding and Advocacy Role, and Psychological Care. These were further grouped into four overarching themes: Self-Management Education and Technical Guidance, Multidisciplinary Collaboration, Direct Care, and Patient Understanding and Emotional Support. Nursing care and patient education for patients with UC may have clinical utility in improving quality of life and supporting continued treatment by alleviating patients' critical conditions, facilitating stoma acceptance, and providing appropriate wound care and pain management.
    Keywords:  nursing practice; patient education; scoping review; self-management; ulcerative colitis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.102024
  36. Diagnostics (Basel). 2026 Feb 13. pii: 555. [Epub ahead of print]16(4):
    Machine Learning Model for Predicting Multidrug Resistance in Clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates.
    Yuksel Akkaya, Irfan Aydin, Handan Tanyildizi-Kokkulunk, Ayse Erturk, Ibrahim Halil Kilic.
      Background/Objectives:Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen increasingly resistant to carbapenems and broad-spectrum antibiotics, complicating timely infection management. In critical cases like septic shock, where initiating effective antibiotics within 3 h improves survival, culture-based resistance testing is often too slow. This study evaluates machine learning (ML) algorithms for faster antimicrobial resistance prediction than conventional methods. Methods: In this retrospective study, antibiogram results of 607 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates collected between 2017 and 2024 were combined with demographic and clinical information of the patients from whom the isolates were obtained. Four different ML algorithms, namely Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Classifier (SVC), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Random Forest (RF), were applied to classify the resistance status for 22 antibiotics. Model performances were evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F-score, AUC and feature importance metrics. Results: The RF model showed the highest overall performance in accurately predicting resistance to 22 antibiotics, achieving an average AUC value of 0.96. In particular, it predicted resistance to treatment-critical antibiotics such as Ertapenem (100%), Imipenem (93%) and Meropenem (95%) with high accuracy. Conclusions: ML models, especially RF, offer a powerful tool for rapid antibiotic resistance prediction, supporting accurate empirical treatment decisions and antimicrobial stewardship.
    Keywords:  Klebsiella pneumoniae; antibiotic resistance; clinical decision support system; machine learning; random forest
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16040555
  37. Antibiotics (Basel). 2026 Feb 02. pii: 155. [Epub ahead of print]15(2):
    Bacteriophage-Based Control of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Anti-Biofilm Activity, Surface-Active Formulation Compatibility, and Genomic Context.
    Peechanika Chopjitt, Wanwisa Kanha, Achiraya Sachit, Juthamas Thongkam, Phinkan Kanthain, Pornnapa Pradabsri, Supreeya Paiboon, Sirinan Thananchai, Surasak Khankhum, Anusak Kerdsin, Nuchsupha Sunthamala.
       BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to pose a significant challenge for infection prevention, particularly because of its ability to persist on surfaces and form resilient biofilms. Although bacteriophages have attracted renewed interest as alternatives or complements to chemical disinfectants, their applied use requires careful assessment of antimicrobial performance, formulation tolerance, and genomic context.
    METHODS: Staphylococcus-infecting bacteriophages were isolated from environmental sources and examined against reference Staphylococcus isolates. Two phage isolates, designated MRSA-W3 and SA-W2, displayed lytic activity against a broad subset of clinical MRSA strains. Using a time-resolved agar-based infection assay, phage exposure resulted in a multiplicity-of-infection-dependent decline in viable MRSA populations.
    RESULTS: Time-resolved infection assays revealed a multiplicity-of-infection-dependent reduction in viable MRSA, with a pronounced decrease observed approximately 40 min post-infection. At this time point, phage-treated cultures showed a reduction of 1.2-1.8 log10 CFU/mL relative to untreated controls (mean Δlog10 = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9), while control cultures remained stable. Quantitative biofilm assays demonstrated that both phages reduced biofilm biomass compared with untreated conditions, with inhibition values ranging from 20% to 45% across isolates (p ≤ 0.05), reflecting strain-dependent but reproducible effects. Assessment of formulation compatibility indicated that both phages retained infectivity following exposure to sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100, and Tween 80, whereas ethanol (≥10%) and higher concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide were associated with rapid loss of activity. In surface disinfection models, selected phage-surfactant formulations achieved a maximum reduction of 2.18 log10 CFU/cm2 compared with untreated controls (p ≤ 0.05). Infection-coupled whole-genome sequencing of MRSA-infecting phage MRSA-W3 produced a high-quality assembly (99.99% completeness; 0.13% contamination) and revealed a mosaic genome containing incomplete prophage-like regions, which were interpreted conservatively as evidence of shared phage ancestry rather than active temperate behavior.
    CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, these findings suggest that bacteriophage-based approaches may be feasible for MRSA surface decontamination, while clearly emphasizing the need for context-specific validation before practical implementation.
    Keywords:  healthcare-associated pathogens; infection prevention and control; non-antibiotic antimicrobials; one health antimicrobial strategies; surface decontamination
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15020155
  38. Gels. 2026 Jan 29. pii: 120. [Epub ahead of print]12(2):
    Smart Composite Hydrogels for Monitoring and Managing Chronic Wounds.
    Jun Zhu, Yibin Huang, Junbo Tong, Antong Li, Bin Chu.
      The precise management of chronic wounds poses a global medical challenge, owing to their complex and dynamically shifting pathological microenvironment, coupled with their inherent difficulty in healing. Traditional dressings, which lack capabilities for real-time monitoring and active intervention, fall short of meeting modern clinical needs. Composite hydrogels offer a novel solution to this problem. By integrating functional fillers within biocompatible hydrogel matrices, they form intelligent materials capable of sensing key wound parameters. This review systematically outlines the composite systems and material classification of such hydrogels designed for the intelligent monitoring of chronic wounds. It subsequently details the construction of multimodal monitoring systems and their applications across different types of chronic wounds., Finally, future development direction are discussed, aiming to advance the implementation of next generation, personalized intelligent wound management systems.
    Keywords:  composite hydrogel; intelligent dressing; multifunctional sensing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020120
  39. Biomedicines. 2026 Jan 27. pii: 280. [Epub ahead of print]14(2):
    An Update on the Correlation Between Neuroimmunomodulation, Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), and Wound Healing: The Role of Mast Cells.
    Montserrat Fernandez-Guarino, Luis Alonso-Mtz de Salinas, Jorge Naharro-Rodriguez, Stefano Bacci.
      This review presents some aspects of the complex relationship between neuroimmunomodulation, photodynamic therapy, and wound healing. This relationship is important because photodynamic therapy, currently used to treat chronic wounds, has numerous effects on so-called neuroimmunomodulation, or the influence the nervous system has on immune cells. Consequently, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of wound healing and the alterations of these mechanisms that lead to the formation of chronic wounds are first considered. This view is subsequently broadened to include the effects produced by neuroimmunomodulation throughout the various phases of wound healing and the alterations produced in chronic wounds. Throughout the above, the role of mast cells, the main inflammatory cells that play a key role in wound healing, is highlighted. In this context, mast cells, located in close anatomical and functional proximity to peripheral nerve endings, act as key neuroimmune intermediaries. Upon activation, mast cells release inflammatory mediators that directly influence wound tissue and sensitize nearby nerve fibers. In turn, peripheral nerves release neuropeptides that further modulate immune cell activity, vascular responses, and tissue repair processes. All of this is in turn linked to the clinical evidence that photodynamic therapy, by virtue of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved, can indeed be considered involved in the healing of chronic wounds.
    Keywords:  PDT; mast cells; neuroimmunomodulation; wound healing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14020280
  40. Digit Health. 2026 Jan-Dec;12:12 20552076261425134
    The user experiences of AI-based clinical decision support systems and implications for usage over time: A scoping review.
    Dan Roland Persson, Tariq Osman Andersen.
       Objective: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based clinical decision support systems (AI-CDSS) have the potential to improve many facets of care, whether aimed toward unlocking new analysis methods, improving efficiency, or increasing patient safety. As AI-CDSS begins to see further real-world usage, there is an urgent need to understand how user experiences develop temporally, more so given these systems dynamic iterative nature. To explore this gap, we conducted a scoping review aiming to map user experiences with AI-CDSS, barriers, and facilitators and synthesize an overview of experiences temporally.
    Method: Following the scoping review methodology of Arksey and O'Malley, three databases were searched with 257 records retrieved, 16 of which met the inclusion criteria. After identifying reported experiences, we carried out a reflexive thematic analysis and "best-fit" synthesis to explore reported user experiences over time.
    Results: Nine overall user experience themes spanning two domains emerged from our analysis with 23 sub-themes. Themes include clinical context, clinical users, learnability, usability, trust and usefulness. Temporal mapping of experiences highlights their dynamic, interconnected nature and how these develop over time. These findings enrich the current understanding of how experiences with AI-CDSS develop over time, presenting implications for design. We additionally discuss gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for future work.
    Conclusions: Long-term experiences, particularly those occurring as a result of changes in model performance or as a result of iterative updates to AI-CDSS are sparsely described. Future work in this area should explore in more detail how experiences unfold over time and alongside AI-CDSS as they evolve.
    Keywords:  AI-CDSS; Artificial intelligence; clinical decision support system; design implications; machine learning; user experience; user experience over time
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076261425134
  41. Int Wound J. 2026 Mar;23(3): e70862
    Advice From Patients to Improve Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management and Amputation Prevention.
    Alek F P Muro, Elliot Myong, Rebecca Crocker, Kelly Palmer, Stacey L Schepens Niemiec, David G Armstrong, Tze-Woei Tan.
      Understanding the patient perspective is crucial for enhancing healthcare delivery and outcomes for chronic conditions like diabetic foot ulcers. This qualitative study examined the perspectives of patients with diabetic foot ulcers to inform clinical strategies for both physicians and current patients to enhance care and prevent lower extremity amputations. Fifteen patients with a history of diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers and/or amputations participated in semi-structured interviews which explored their lived experiences and advice for both physicians and fellow patients to improve diabetic foot ulcer related care. Interview transcriptions were analysed to identify recurring themes. Advice for physicians emphasised increasing patient education, initiating preventive foot care at the time of diabetes diagnosis, providing instructions for managing diabetic ulcers early and demonstrating empathetic bedside manner. Advice for fellow patients focused on adopting healthy lifestyle practices, regular foot self-examinations, consistent blood glucose monitoring, medication adherence and seeking prompt medical attention for new or worsening foot lesions. Participants also stressed the importance of routine check-ups with providers to support prevention and management efforts. This qualitative study highlights the value of incorporating patient perspectives to improve our understanding of diabetic foot ulcer onset, care and outcomes and thereby reduce the risk of lower extremity complications.
    Keywords:  diabetes; diabetic foot ulcers; lower extremity amputations; patient experience; qualitative research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.70862
  42. Nat Rev Cancer. 2026 Feb 26.
    The intestinal microbiota as a key modulator of acute graft-versus-host disease.
    Jenny Paredes, Maren Schmiester, Robert Jenq, Marcel R M van den Brink.
      Although allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is a curative therapy for various malignant diseases, severe complications such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) limit its use. The intestinal microbiome has long been known to modulate allo-HCT outcomes. Studies in the past two decades alone have uncovered a complex interplay between the microbial repertoire and the host immune system during allo-HCT. Preclinical studies have characterized the crosstalk between the microbiome and the immune response of the host, discovered associations between microbial taxa and the integrity of the mucosal intestinal barrier, and investigated the role of microbial metabolites in GVHD. Clinical studies have demonstrated that dysbiosis is an independent predictor of both transplantation-related and GVHD-related mortality, and ongoing trials are investigating microbiota-focused approaches to improve clinical outcomes and reduce GVHD severity after allo-HCT, paving the way for therapeutic applications of microbiome research. We anticipate that these insights will support the development of personalized therapies for patients receiving allo-HCT, integrating microbiome profiles with individual risk data. In this Review, we summarize current preclinical and clinical studies, providing a comprehensive account of translational efforts in this highly dynamic field.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-026-00910-6
  43. Viruses. 2026 Feb 19. pii: 260. [Epub ahead of print]18(2):
    Machine Learning in Preclinical Development of Antiviral Peptide Candidates: A Review of the Current Landscape.
    Hannah Hargrove, Bei Tong, Amr Hussein Elkabanny, Xiaohui Frank Zhang.
      In the field of antiviral peptide (AVP) design, one of the most prominent limiting factors is the time and material cost required to perform the initial screening of novel AVPs. In particular, traditional target identification as well as traditional preclinical screening of novel drug candidates can be a very lengthy and expensive process. In recent decades, target identification and initial screening of AVPs has been increasingly carried out using machine learning (ML). The use of ML to initially screen potential interactions reduces the financial cost and lengthy time scale of preclinical AVP development, allowing for candidate peptides to be identified and screened faster, at a lower cost to both manufacturer and consumer. Additionally, the use of ML in generating and screening AVP candidates allows a more diverse chemical space to be explored than high-throughput screening methodologies allow. In silico generation and validation of AVP candidates also limits researcher contact with high BSL-rated viruses, thereby increasing the safety and accessibility of AVP design. This review seeks to provide a broad overview of the current uses of ML in early-stage AVP design, and to shed some light on the future direction of the field.
    Keywords:  antiviral peptides; artificial intelligence; early-stage drug design; machine learning
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/v18020260
  44. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2026 ;16 1692727
    A computational pipeline to discover potential cross-reactive antibodies: a case study on coronavirus.
    Li Ye, Mengdie Hu, Yuan Wang, Zihao Li, Yewei Cun, Kailin Tang, Zhiwei Cao.
       Introduction: Cross-reactive antibody (crAb), which recognizes conserved viral epitopes across diverse strains, has emerged as powerful tools for diagnostics, therapeutic targeting, and pandemic preparedness. Yet conventional crAb discovery primarily relies on hybridoma technology and phage display which are time-consuming and labor-intensive.
    Methods: Here, we present an integrative computational pipeline that leverages conformational epitope prediction and epitope immunogenic similarity analysis to compute cross-reactive epitopes, so as to prioritize potential crAbs undisclosed before.
    Results: Taking coronavirus as an example, we demonstrate that this pipeline successfully predicted candidate crAbs for five coronavirus antigens, including SARS-CoV-2 variants (WT, Beta, Omicron B.1, XBB.1.5) and one SARS-CoV variant. Out of Top20 predicted candidates, 45% were validated in CoV-AbDab as cross-reactive across coronavirus variants, including experimentally confirmed crAbs such as P17 (IC50 = 0.165 ng/mL against SARS-CoV-2 WT), BG7-15 (IC50 = 16 ng/mL against SARS-CoV-2 WT), and Beta-54 (IC50 = 1 ng/mL against Gamma variant).
    Discussion: Though in pilot-study, this pipeline might serve as a scalable and efficient strategy for rapidly prioritizing potential crAbs in research of infectious disease.
    Keywords:  SARS-CoV-2; conserved surface site; coronavirus; cross-reactive antibody; epitope prediction; virtual screening
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1692727
  45. J Mater Chem B. 2026 Feb 25.
    Self-assembled hydrogels promote wound healing.
    Da Lin, Yanqiang Huang, Yuna Qian, Jianliang Shen, Hongyu Wei.
      Wound healing is a crucial highly complex biological process that proceeds through three overlapping stages, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. However, the presence of acute or chronic conditions such as infections, burns, and diabetes-related complications often disrupts this sequence, resulting in impaired repair, chronic non-healing wounds, or excessive scarring. Conventional therapeutic approaches typically address a single factor of repair while overlooking the integrated effects of the pathological microenvironment. These limitations underscore the urgent need for new and effective therapeutic strategies. Self-assembled hydrogels have recently attracted considerable attention as promising candidates for wound management. Unlike conventional hydrogels, they spontaneously form three-dimensional networks without external crosslinkers or energy input. And they can possess unique dynamic features, such as reversibility, self-healing, and stimulus responsiveness, which make them well suited to the dynamic wound environments. Importantly, their therapeutic potential extends beyond structural support, as they have demonstrated multifaceted biological activities such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. This review summarizes recent developments in self-assembled hydrogels and their applications in wound healing, to deepen the understanding of their mechanisms of action and underscore their promise as innovative strategies for promoting effective wound repair.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tb02548f
  46. Adv Healthc Mater. 2026 Feb 27. e05909
    Self-Powered Enzymatic Biofuel Cell for Synergistic Therapy and Real-Time Monitoring of Diabetic Wounds.
    Hongmei Deng, Ziwei Xiang, Ketao Yan, Yuzhu Long, Wei Wang, Huayu Xiong.
      The clinical care of diabetic chronic wounds faces the dilemma that traditional dressings cannot simultaneously achieve real-time status monitoring and synergy treatment, while existing intelligent dressings are restricted in clinical application due to their reliance on external power sources. To tackle this, this study develops a self-powered enzymatic biofuel cell (EBFC) with protein hydrogel patch electrodes for personalized and intelligent wound care. Using bovine serum albumin/polypyrrole as the electrode scaffold, the cathode patch is fabricated with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), while the anode patch is constructed by incorporating glucose oxidase-loaded ZIF-8. Inside, enzymatic cascades leverage hyperglycemia to generate antibacterial reactive oxygen species, which synergize with near-infrared photothermal effects to boost antibacterial efficacy; meanwhile, inter-electrode microelectric fields accelerate cell migration. It also monitors battery output voltage to provide real-time feedback on wound glucose levels for wound assessment. Integrating synergistic antibacterial activity, migration acceleration, and real-time monitoring, this EBFC creates an integrated diabetic wound diagnosis-treatment platform. In vitro/in vivo tests confirm its good biocompatibility, effective promotion of infected diabetic wound healing, and potential to advance intelligent wound care as a novel biomedical strategy.
    Keywords:  diabetic wounds; enzymatic biofuel cells; hydrogel electrode; monitoring
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202505909
  47. Breast Cancer (Dove Med Press). 2026 ;18 590718
    Novel Microbiome-Driven Approaches to Counteract Chemotherapy-Induced Mucositis in Breast Cancer Patients.
    Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu.
      Chemotherapy-induced mucositis (CIM) is a clinically important toxicity in breast cancer care that adversely affects oral and gastrointestinal mucosa, quality of life, nutritional status, and treatment tolerability. While CIM is less frequently dose-limiting in contemporary standard regimens (eg, AC-T, TC) compared with hematologic and neurotoxicities, it remains a significant supportive care challenge, particularly in dose-dense schedules, older cytotoxic protocols, and with selected targeted agents and antibody-drug conjugates. Emerging evidence indicates that chemotherapy-associated dysbiosis can amplify mucosal inflammation and barrier dysfunction, acting as a modifier of injury rather than the primary driver, which is direct epithelial cytotoxicity. A narrative review was conducted using structured searches of PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science up to 2025 to identify preclinical and clinical studies addressing the pathobiology of CIM, chemotherapy-associated microbiome perturbations in breast cancer, and microbiome-targeted preventive or therapeutic strategies. Evidence was synthesized qualitatively, with explicit distinction between mechanistic preclinical data and emerging clinical findings. Chemotherapy induces reproducible alterations in oral and gut microbial communities, characterized by reduced microbial diversity, depletion of commensal taxa involved in epithelial homeostasis, and relative expansion of pathobionts. Preclinical models demonstrate that dysbiosis can exacerbate inflammatory signaling, impair epithelial repair, and increase susceptibility to ulceration and infection. Early-phase clinical studies and small randomized trials in heterogeneous oncology populations suggest that selected probiotics, prebiotics, and dietary interventions may modestly attenuate the incidence or severity of mucositis, although robust breast cancer-specific evidence remains limited. More advanced approaches, including postbiotics, fecal microbiota-based strategies, and engineered live biotherapeutics, are largely investigational. CIM in breast cancer is a multifactorial toxicity primarily driven by direct chemotherapy-induced epithelial injury, with the microbiome functioning as an important biological modifier of inflammation, barrier integrity, and mucosal repair. Microbiome-targeted interventions represent a promising adjunct to conventional supportive care rather than a stand-alone solution. Well-designed, breast cancer-specific clinical trials incorporating longitudinal microbiome and metabolomic profiling are required to define clinical efficacy, safety, and patient subgroups most likely to benefit from precision microbiome modulation.
    Keywords:  breast cancer; chemotherapy-induced mucositis; microbiome modulation; microbiota-targeted therapeutics; mucosal injury
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2147/BCTT.S590718
  48. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2025 Oct 03. 330 459-478
    On the Use of Generative AI in Clinical Prediction - A European Perspective.
    Andreas Braun, Saharnaz Dilmaghani, Hannah L Felstead.
      The use of Artificial Intelligence in the medical field is well-established. Recent advances in the use of generative AI have significantly accelerated experimentation, but also adoption on smart, AI-driven systems in the prediction of potential outcomes of therapies in clinical prediction. In this chapter we are providing an overview of the field, its most prevalent challenges and AI-technologies that are already in use, in particular those already certified as medical products. We are providing details on promising approaches and how AI has been applied on clinical prediction in the specific product. In the second part, we will provide a review of relevant research in the domain, in particular systems that leverage generative AI solutions, with a focus on the potential readiness for near-term market release, as well as providing a high degree of innovation, while proposing a positive outcome for patients and medical professionals. Finally, we will give an outlook on the regulatory and standardization aspects of using AI-based medical products for prediction of outcomes in Europe, giving an overview on recent legal developments and how they might impact developers and potential users of such systems.
    Keywords:  AI Regulation; AI for Clinical Prediction; E-Health; Generative AI; Health Regulation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI251445
  49. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2026 ;19 17562848261424324
    Diarrhea management: from pathophysiology to microbiota modulation.
    Giovanni Marasco, David Meacci, Giovanni Sarnelli, Cesare Tosetti, Cesare Cremon, Edoardo Vincenzo Savarino, Giovanni Barbara.
      Diarrhea, whether acute or chronic, is a common clinical condition with numerous causes that collectively impose significant health, economic, social, and psychological burdens worldwide. Based on its duration, diarrhea is classified as acute when lasting less than 2 weeks and chronic when persisting for more than 4 weeks. From a pathophysiological standpoint, diarrhea can be categorized into four main types: osmotic, secretory, inflammatory, and motility-related. Acute diarrhea is most commonly caused by infectious gastroenteritis and tends to have a self-limited course. In contrast, chronic diarrhea presents a more complex diagnostic challenge due to its varied etiologies and clinical presentations. A shared feature among many causes of both acute and chronic diarrhea is an alteration in the gut microbiota, a condition referred to as dysbiosis. While acute infections often result in temporary microbial imbalance, chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease are associated with persistent dysbiosis. This review aims to explore the most prevalent causes and underlying mechanisms of acute and chronic diarrhea, with a particular focus on the role of the gut microbiota. It will also examine the principal therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating intestinal microbiota, including prebiotics, probiotics, antibiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation.
    Keywords:  acute diarrhea; antibiotics; chronic diarrhea; diverticular disease; dysbiosis; fecal microbiota transplantation; gut microbiota; inflammatory bowel disease; irritable bowel syndrome; prebiotics; probiotics; small intestine bacterial overgrowth
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/17562848261424324
  50. Tissue Eng Part B Rev. 2026 Feb 28. 19373368261419657
    Research Landscape of the Role of Exosomes in Diabetic Wound Management: Bibliometric Perspective.
    Yungang Hu, Feng Xiong, Muzi Huang, Xiaohua Hu, Yuming Shen, Weili Du.
      Diabetic wounds significantly present clinical difficulties on account of high prevalence, recurrence rates, and substantial health care burden. Traditional treatment approaches to these wounds remain suboptimal, emphasizing the urgent demand for new therapeutic strategies. As an emerging therapeutic modality, exosomes (Exos) have garnered increasing attention for their prospect for diabetic wound healing (DWH). Nevertheless, in this domain, a systematic bibliometric analysis of research trends remains insufficient. In this study, we retrieved 441 publications on Exos-based diabetic wound treatment from 2005 to 2024 from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Bibliometric tools comprising CiteSpace and VOSviewer were employed for visualization and bibliometric analysis, including publication trends, national and institutional contributions, author collaboration networks, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. In this domain, the quantity of publications has shown a stable upward trend, with China leading in research output (77.3%), before the United States (12.2%) and India (4.3%). Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed that research hotspots primarily focus upon the effect of Exos in inflammation modulation and angiogenesis. Notably, integrating Exos with hydrogels has emerged as a key research frontier, presenting a prospective strategy for DWH through sustained Exos release and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. This study systematically mapped the global research landscape of Exos-based treatments for DWH, clarifying the critical role of Exos in wound recovery and emphasizing the potential of Exos-loaded hydrogels as a future research direction. These findings provided valuable insights into both fundamental research and clinical practices, contributing to the progress in diabetic wound management.
    Keywords:  bibliometric; diabetic wound; exosomes; hydrogel; wound healing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/19373368261419657
  51. J Microbiol. 2026 Jan 30.
    The rise and future of peptide-based antimicrobials.
    Hyo Jung Kim.
      The escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance has renewed global interest in peptide-based antibiotics as adaptable and effective alternatives to conventional small molecules. Peptides possess diverse mechanisms of action, high target specificity, and structural flexibility, which collectively limit the emergence of resistance. This review outlines recent advances spanning the discovery, optimization, and application of peptide antibiotics, from their biological origins and structural classifications to emerging strategies involving artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and modern delivery technologies. Peptide antibiotics can be categorized by origin as natural, semi-synthetic, or fully synthetic, and further organized by structural class such as α-helical, β-sheet, cyclic, and extended forms. They are also grouped by function into membrane-targeted and non-membrane-targeted types. These classification schemes are not only descriptive but also critical for understanding the therapeutic potential of peptides, as each category presents distinct advantages and engineering challenges that influence stability, specificity, and overall clinical performance. Advances in artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and continuous manufacturing are reshaping how peptide drugs are designed and produced, while innovations in drug delivery systems are addressing critical issues of stability and bioavailability. Together, these developments are laying the foundation for a new generation of peptide-based therapeutics capable of meeting the evolving challenges of antimicrobial resistance.
    Keywords:  antimicrobial resistance; artificial intelligence; drug delivery systems; peptide antibiotics; synthetic biology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2510002
  52. Cureus. 2026 Jan;18(1): e102131
    A Narrative Review on Oral Microbiome Dysbiosis in Benign and Malignant Oral Lesions: Mechanistic Insights and Clinical Implications.
    Laresh N Mistry, Sayem A Mulla, Amit Patil, Shreyas Shah, Sindhu P Pulaskar.
      Maintaining oral and systemic health depends heavily on the dynamic and varied microbial environment found in the human mouth cavity. There is growing evidence that the oral microbiota plays a role in the pathophysiology of both benign and malignant oral cancers by producing carcinogenic chemicals, modifying host immune responses, and causing chronic inflammation. Malignant tumors like oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) show profound dysbiosis marked by enrichment of pathogenic taxa such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum, whereas benign lesions like papillomas, fibromas, and odontogenic tumors show localized microbial alterations. This review examines the molecular processes connecting microbial dysbiosis to carcinogenesis, summarizes current understanding of the oral microbiome across several oral cancers, and emphasizes potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications.
    Keywords:  microbial dysbiosis; microbiota of oral lesions; oral and maxillofacial pathology; oral microbiology; oral microbiome
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.102131
  53. Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 Feb 20. 105(8): e47801
    The protective effects of Silymarin in diabetic wound healing: A review.
    Hanghang Zhou, Chengqing Ding, Jianxiong Qiao, Qinyuan Wang, Xuanfen Zhang.
      Diabetic wounds are serious and challenging complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) and are characterized by impaired healing. Its pathogenesis is complex and involves a variety of physiological and pathological changes, including vascular dysfunction, neuropathy, impaired neuropeptide signaling, hyperglycemia, persistent infections, inflammation, oxidative stress, and an impaired immune response. Despite significant advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of diabetic wounds, current treatment options remain limited and often yield unsatisfactory results. Thus, there is an urgent need for alternative approaches to enhance diabetic wound healing. Silymarin (SM) is a natural flavonolignans derived from the traditional medicinal plant Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn, with silibinin/silybin (SB) as its primary active component, and has shown considerable therapeutic potential in both experimental and clinical studies. This review synthesizes high-quality, peer-reviewed research on the use of SM/SB for DM and its complications, and suggests that SM/SB may promote wound closure through its established anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hypoglycemic, neuroprotective, and vascular/endothelial-protective properties. In this review, we highlight the current beneficial modulatory effects of SM/SB on diabetic wounds and explore the potential mechanisms that may support these benefits. Although early evidence is promising, further high-quality clinical studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of SM/SB in diabetic wound healing. Additionally, advancements in biomaterials could enhance the in vivo efficacy of SM, accelerating the translation of SM/SB-based therapies into clinical practice and offering a novel, complementary treatment or an innovative alternative to conventional protocols for diabetic wound closure.
    Keywords:  Silibinin; Silymarin; diabetes mellitus; diabetic wounds; phytotherapy; wound healing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000047801
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