What’s the Deal with Bacteriophages?
Are bacteriophages good?
Bacteriophage means “eater of bacteria,” and these spidery-looking viruses may be the most abundant life-form on the planet. HIV, Hepatitis C, and Ebola have given viruses a bad name, but microscopic phages are the good guys of the virology world. … Phage therapy has several advantages over antibiotics.
Bacteriophage vs. antibiotics
Before antibiotics were discovered, there was considerable research on bacteriophages as a treatment for human bacterial diseases. Bacteriophages attack only their host bacteria, not human cells, so they are potentially good candidates to treat bacterial diseases in humans.
After antibiotics were discovered, the phage approach was largely abandoned in many parts of the world (particularly English-speaking countries). However, phages continued to be used for medical purposes in a number of countries, including Russia, Georgia, and Poland, where they remain in use today.
Phages tend to be more successful than antibiotics where there is a biofilm covered by a polysaccharide layer, which antibiotics typically cannot penetrate
Frequently Asked Questions
Can bacteriophages replace antibiotics?
Bacteriophage treatment offers a possible alternative to conventional antibiotic treatments for bacterial infection. It is conceivable that, although bacteria can develop resistance to phage, the resistance might be easier to overcome than resistance to antibiotics
How is produced Bacteriophage blends?
In laboratory Scientists isolate selected phages, which are active against specific harmful bacteria, The phage showing lysis are then amplified on cultures of the target bacteria, passed through a filter to remove all but the phages, purified them; Combine in Cocktails and make reedy to use by patients As safe as a food supplement.
Bacteriophages research:
Bacteriophages are among the best studied organisms in the natural world. This is because their molecular biology is relatively simple. Many molecular principles were first studied in bacteriophages prior to being found in higher organisms
