BACTERIOPHAGES: COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY IN ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANT BACTERIAL STRAINS

Abstract

Bacteriophages, or phages, constitute a class of viruses that selectively infect and replicate within bacterial hosts. Although phage therapy has been employed for nearly a century, the global surge in antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has revitalized interest in phages as a plausible alternative or adjunctive therapeutic strategy. Traditional phage therapy involves utilizing naturally occurring phages to target and eliminate bacteria at the infection site. Distinguishing themselves from conventional antibacterial agents, phages execute parasitic and enzymatic bactericidal activities, rendering them effective against a broad spectrum of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Recent biotechnological progress has introduced innovative approaches, encompassing bio-engineered phages, phage cocktails, and purified phage lytic proteins, thus expanding the arsenal of phage-based therapeutics. The integration of phage therapy, either as an alternative to antibiotics or in synergy with antibiotic regimens, holds promise for mitigating the escalating challenge of infectious diseases amid the prevailing antibiotic crisis. However, a comprehensive understanding of phage biology is imperative, along with the imperative for rigorous clinical trials to assess phage efficacy across various pathogens, infections, and diseases.