Beluga whale cured of pneumonia with bacteriophages via blowhole nebulizer

Veterinarians at Mystic Aquarium and the University of Florida treated Jetta, an 11-year-old beluga whale, for chronic pneumonia caused by multi-drug-resistant E. coli using bacteriophages. The therapy was delivered partly through a nebulizer custom-built for a beluga blowhole, with the whale inhaling the phages three times a day. No recurrence or side effects have been observed in the year since.

• 11-year-old beluga Jetta had pneumonia from multi-drug-resistant E. coli
• Phages were matched to the bacterial strain and given via a blowhole nebulizer
• Jetta inhaled the treatment three times a day at the pool's edge
• No recurrence or side effects found a year after therapy