Phage Therapy

Phage Therapy

Phage therapy involves using bacteriophages to treat pathogenic bacterial infections. While it was extensively developed in former Soviet Union countries around 1920, it is currently only approved in Georgia. This therapy has potential applications in human medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, and agriculture. When targeting non-animal hosts, the term "biocontrol" is often used instead of "phage therapy".

Bacteriophages are more specific than antibiotics, potentially reducing harm to the host organism and beneficial bacteria like gut flora. This specificity may lead to fewer side effects compared to drugs and less stress on the liver. Phages replicate in vivo, allowing for smaller effective doses. However, their specificity means they only kill bacteria matching their strain, often requiring phage mixtures for success.

Phage therapy is currently used in Georgia to treat bacterial infections resistant to antibiotics, especially those protected by biofilms. While not authorized for human use in the West, phages are utilized to combat food poisoning bacteria like Listeria.

This therapy offers an alternative to antibiotics, with potentially easier-to-overcome resistance. However, safety concerns arise as bacteria and viruses can evolve. Phages specifically target bacteria strains, reducing harm to useful bacteria, unlike broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Some evidence suggests phages can reach specific sites, like the brain, to combat infections like meningitis, although immune responses to phages can occur. Western research is exploring broader spectrum phages and various forms of treatment, including phage-impregnated wound dressings and enzybiotics, which use phage-derived enzymes to prevent secondary bacterial infections.

In cases where traditional antibiotics fail, phages have shown effectiveness in laboratory tests against bacteria like multiple-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae when administered via intraperitoneal, intravenous, or intranasal routes.