Mallory Smith was born with cystic fibrosis and underwent a double lung transplant at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in September 2017. After the procedure, she developed a rare infection caused by Burkholderia cepacia bacteria that did not respond to any antibiotics. As a last resort, Ms. Smith’s physicians put out a call to researchers for a bacteriophage to attack the B. cepacia bacteria in her lungs.
Ms. Smith died in November 2017 before the experimental treatment could be developed. However, samples of her bacterial infection were passed on to microbiologists at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. These researchers successfully developed a bacteriophage that kills the strain of B. cepacia responsible for Ms. Smith’s fatal infection.
Picking out a name for the phage was easy. Microbiologists dubbed the treatment BCMallory1, in honor of the patient who helped spur its development.
To view the full article, click here.
More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
Ballad Health suspends elective surgeries after Cardinal Health’s hold on gowns
ANA, AONL: Cutting nurses will decrease care quality — instead, allocate resources wisely
Texas Health Resources rolls out digital rounding tool for nurses
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.