After the discovery of bacteriophages, they were hailed as a breakthrough in disease treatment. But the enthusiasm in the West subsequently faded, as scientific attention shifted to antimicrobial drugs. Only in Georgia have phages remained at the center of practical medicine, developing alongside, albeit outside, the mainstream.

Today, as antibiotic resistance becomes a global threat, science is once again turning to bacteriophages—with new technologies, knowledge, and even greater hope.

The Discovery of Bacteriophages: Who and When Seen the Invisible Enemy of Bacteria

The phenomenon of bacteria being destroyed by an invisible substance was first documented by the French scientist Ernest Hankin in 1896. He was studying water from Indian rivers, where cholera cases had been declining, and discovered that river water had the ability to suppress pathogens. However, at the time, Hankin lacked the tools and knowledge to explain this phenomenon.

Two decades later, in 1915, British researcher Frederick Twort also observed the destruction of bacterial cultures. But it was Félix d'Hérelle who , in 1917, first scientifically described and characterized bacteriophages , coining the term, which literally means "bacteria-eating." He also pioneered the concept of phage therapy , proving that phages are "good" viruses that replicate within microbes and destroy them.

D'Herelle conducted the first clinical trials of bacteriophages. The results were so impressive that the method quickly gained popularity in Europe, the United States, and later in the USSR.

Why did the world forget about bacteriophages? Who continued to use them?

In the 1940s, the discovery of antibiotics radically changed the approach to treating infections. These drugs acted quickly, were inexpensive to produce, and were effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria. Against this backdrop, phage therapy lost popularity in the West. Furthermore, phages required individual selection, and their action was strictly specific, which was considered a drawback in the quest for universal drugs.

However, in the Soviet Union, particularly in Georgia, where the Bacteriophage Institute was established in Tbilisi in 1923, research and practical use of phage preparations flourished. Dozens of phage cocktails were developed for the treatment of skin infections, dysentery, salmonellosis, and staphylococcal and streptococcal infections.

Despite the limited international scientific exchange during the Cold War, Soviet scientists accumulated a huge amount of data and experience, which have now become invaluable in the context of the return of phage therapy to the global arena.

Why are bacteriophages being remembered again today?

Antibiotic resistance is the main reason for the renewed interest in bacteriophages. More and more bacteria are becoming resistant to traditional antimicrobials, forcing medicine to seek alternatives. There are increasingly more reports of patients who benefited from phage cocktails after antibiotics failed.

The development of biotechnology has also significantly influenced the phage renaissance. Genomics and molecular biology have made it possible to accurately identify the infectious agent and select a suitable bacteriophage, as well as create modern phage preparations by combining several strains for broad-spectrum applications.

Countries such as France, Belgium, the United States, Poland, and Georgia have become centers of a phage therapy revival. Clinics offering phage treatments are actively operating, especially in cases where traditional methods have proven ineffective. Domestically produced phage preparations are now also available in Ukraine.

Scientific journals publish hundreds of new studies annually, and international programs are being created to develop custom bacterial viruses . Phages are being researched for use in many areas of medicine (gynecology, dentistry, surgery, and even oncology).

The discovery of bacteriophages is an example of scientific perseverance that has stood the test of time. Although these viruses long lay in the shadow of antibiotics, they are now making a comeback as a reliable and promising weapon against bacteria. The scientific community increasingly recognizes that the future of infection treatment lies not only in a return to phages, but also in their integration into next-generation personalized medicine.