Can Phage Therapy be the potential answer?
Bacteriophages also called phages are bacteria-attacking microorganisms that devour selected bacteria without causing any harm to the host. Phages are all around us on our hands, our eyelids, animal intestines as well as in the soil but they don’t hurt us. They are natural organism made up on only genetic material namely DNA and RNA plus protein. Microbiologist Félix Hubert d’Herelleidentified and explained the role bacteriophages can play in treating bacterial infections way back in 1917. He identified phages as virus-like organisms that could kill bacteria without any harmful effects and also coined the term “phage therapy”. However, the discovery of antibiotics put to rest any research or interest in phages. As bacteria evolve and develop resistance to existing antibiotics, the superbug concern has once again ignited research and experiment in phages. In fact, apart from treating bacterial infections, phages can also make our food supply safer.
Phage researchers today also have the technological tools needed to rapidly analyze the genomes of bacteria and phages, and find effective treatment pathways.In 2019, a 62 year old man in Minnesota was told by his doctors that he would have to have his leg amputated after over 10 years of failed treatments including multiple antibiotics and 17 surgeries to cure a stubborn infection. However, in his quest to find potential alternative treatment, led him to an organization that specialized in treating with phages. The man became the 14th person worldwide to be treated with phage therapy and ended up getting rid of his chronic infection.
PHAGElogist 