Century-old therapy used to treat SGH patient with antibiotic-resistant infection

Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has successfully employed a century-old treatment utilizing viruses to combat antibiotic-resistant infections. The therapy was used in 2024 to save the life of a patient when all other treatment options had failed, marking the first instance of bacteriophage therapy benefiting a patient in Southeast Asia.

Bacteriophage therapy, or phage therapy, gained prominence in the early 20th century but declined in Western medicine with the advent of mass-produced antibiotics. Amidst growing global concern over antimicrobial resistance, there is renewed interest in this historical treatment.

Dr. Jasmine Chung, a senior consultant in SGH's infectious diseases department, explained that such infections can stem from "superbugs" or bacteria shielded by biofilms, often on medical implants, hindering antibiotic efficacy.

The patient, a woman in her 30s with congenital heart disease, developed a hard-to-treat infection in her chest cavity and bloodstream following complex surgery in January 2024 to implant a vascular and heart valve device. This was her fifth operation.

The treatment involved a combination of phage therapy and antibiotics. Phages were able to break down protective biofilms that shielded the bacteria from antibiotics, leading to the effective treatment of the infection within two weeks. This allowed the patient to avoid high-risk surgery and transition from intravenous to oral antibiotics.