Phage Therapy: Using Viruses to Fight Bacterial Infections
What Are Bacteriophages?
Viruses that specifically infect and kill bacteria. Ubiquitous in nature; each phage targets a narrow range of bacterial strains.
Advantages Over Antibiotics
| Feature | Phage Therapy | Antibiotics |
|---|
| Specificity | Strain-specific; spares microbiome | Broad-spectrum; collateral damage |
| Resistance | Phages co-evolve; can be re-isolated | Static; resistance accumulates |
| Biofilms | Penetrate & disrupt | Poor penetration |
| Safety | No eukaryotic cell infection | Side effects, allergy, C. diff |
Clinical Applications (Investigational / Compassionate Use)
- Diabetic foot ulcers, prosthetic joint infections
- Cystic fibrosis (P. aeruginosa)
- Chronic UTIs, prostatitis
- Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negatives (Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas)
Challenges
- Narrow host range → need phage cocktails or personalized matching.
- Regulatory pathways (not FDA-approved; expanded access / IND).
- Manufacturing standards (GMP), purification, endotoxin removal.
- Immune neutralization (anti-phage antibodies).
- Bacterial anti-phage systems (CRISPR, restriction-modification).
Future
Phage therapy is a promising adjunct/complement to antibiotics, especially for MDR infections. Rigorous trials underway.
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