Effect of Combinations of Mycobacteriophages and Drugs against Mycobacterium Spp.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a matter of global concern. The use of mycobacteriophages alone or in combination with antibiotics could be used as an alternative approach to treat drugresistant Mycobacteria. The aim of the study was the evaluation of the effect of an isolated mycobacteriophage in combination with Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Streptomycin, and Ampicillin against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis. Determination of the MIC of the above drugs for each strain was done by the standard tube dilution method. Further, the inhibitory effect of varying drug concentrations in combination with different dilutions of the mycobacteriophage was studied. The growth inhibition pattern for both the organisms was also studied in the presence of different dilutions of mycobacteriophage by turbidometric and resazurin dye reduction method. The killing pattern of drugs, at concentrations below the MIC, when combined with mycobacteriophage, was determined. The phage induced lysis of bacteria assisted in decreasing the inhibitory concentration of the drugs.