The National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR) has discovered a novel bacteriophage A3676P that attacks bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics. This virus showed an effect of simultaneously killing eight multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter species resistant to three or more antibiotics. While conventional bacteriophages attack only one or two types of bacteria, A3676P has the characteristic of acting broadly on Acinetobacter strains of different species. In addition, A3676P maintains its antimicrobial activity even with changes in acidity or temperature and rapidly proliferates to effectively kill bacteria. Acinetobacter is widely distributed in rivers and lakes, and some species are the main causative agents of hospital infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated it as a pathogen for which new drug development is urgently needed.
