Light-activated antimicrobial agents (photosensitizers) are promising alternatives to antibiotics for the treatment of @entity281 . To improve efficacy and avoid possible damage to host tissues, targeting of the photosensitizer to the infecting organism is desirable, and this has previously been achieved using antibodies and chemical modification of the agent. In this study we investigated the possibility of using a bacteriophage to deliver the photosensitizer @entity68090 ( @entity68090 ) to @entity794 . @entity68090 was covalently linked to @entity794 bacteriophage 75, and the ability of the conjugate to kill various strains of @entity794 when exposed to red light was determined. Substantial kills of @entity3256 - and @entity2176 -intermediate strains of @entity794 were achieved using low concentrations of the conjugate (containing 1.5 microg/ml @entity68090 ) and low light doses (21 J/cm2). Under these conditions, the viability of @entity1 epithelial cells (in the absence of bacteria) was largely unaffected. On a molar equivalent basis, the conjugate was a more effective bactericide than the unconjugated @entity68090 , and killing was not growth phase dependent. The conjugate was effective against @entity2176 -intermediate strains of @entity794 even after growth in @entity2176 . The results of this study have demonstrated that a bacteriophage can be used to deliver a photosensitizer to a target organism, resulting in enhanced and selective killing of the organism. Such attributes are desirable in an agent to be used in the photodynamic therapy of @entity166 .

Development of a novel targeting system for lethal photosensitization of antibiotic-resistant strains of XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human'] @entity3256 :: ('MESH:D008712', 'Chemical') :: ['methicillin'] @entity2176 :: ('MESH:D014640', 'Chemical') :: ['vancomycin'] @entity68090 :: ('MESH:C069117', 'Chemical') :: ['SnCe6', 'tin(IV) chlorin e6'] @entity794 :: ('1280', 'Species') :: ['Staphylococcus aureus', 'S. aureus'] @entity281 :: ('MESH:D007239', 'Disease') :: ['topical infections'] @entity166 :: ('MESH:D003141', 'Disease') :: ['infectious diseases']
@entity794 :: (1280,Species) :: ['Staphylococcus aureus']
