Abstract
The bacteriophage (or phage for short) has been used as an antibacterial agent for over a century but was abandoned in most countries after the discovery and broad use of antibiotics. The worldwide emergence and high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria have led to a revival of interest in the long-forgotten antibacterial therapy with phages (phage therapy) as an alternative approach to combatting AMR bacteria. The rapid progress recently made in molecular biology and genetic engineering has accelerated the generation of phage-related products with superior therapeutic potentials against bacterial infection. Nowadays, phage-based technology has been developed for many purposes, including those beyond the framework of antibacterial treatment, such as to suppress viruses by phages, gene therapy, vaccine development, etc. Here, we highlighted the current progress in phage engineering technology and its application in modern medicine.
Highlights
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The first documented observation that could be interpreted as phage activity dated back to 1896, when Ernest Hankin reported that the water from the rivers Ganges and Jamuna in India possessed antibacterial activity against vibrio cholera, suggesting the presence of a certain unidentified substance that limited the spread of cholera epidemics [2]
The discovery of penicillin in the 1940s kick-started the golden age of antibiotics, which spanned over 40 years with more than 40 antibiotics developed for clinical use [9], that lead to the near-complete cessation of phage therapy in most countries
Summary
Bacteriophages (or phages for short), bacteria-infecting viruses, are the most abundant and ubiquitous organisms on earth, with a significant role in microbial population dynamics and evolutions [1]. Phage therapy has been re-employed using the compassionate use rationale in Europe and the United States, especially when AMR-bacteria-infected patients are without effective treatment options or are terminally ill [9]. In 2016, Tom Patterson of the University of California acquired multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii infection that made him comatose He received effective and successful intravenous phage therapy on compassionate grounds to treat his condition. The positive therapeutic outcome indicated the potential of phage therapy as a last line of defense against AMR bacterial infections. To further advance such new treatments against AMR, especially focusing on phage therapy, the Interdisciplinary Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (IPATH) was launched at the University of California, San Diego, in June 2018 (https: //health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2018-06-21-turning-a-phage.aspx, accessed on 2 February 2021)
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