Scientists studying bacteriophages are discussing whether bacterial viruses can somehow help in the situation that has arisen worldwide due to the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
The negative impact of plastic on marine ecosystems is well known. But Irish scientists recently discovered another problem posed by plastic drifting with ocean currents: it carries bacterial genes that promote antibiotic resistance.
The widespread use of bacteriophages as monotherapy for severe infections is not yet possible for various reasons, but it should be taken into account that their use in combination with antibiotics can significantly increase the effectiveness of treatment.
Patients with severe Staphylococcus aureus infection received intravenous bacteriophage injections twice daily for 14 days. No adverse reactions to the bacteriophage administration were observed from the first day of therapy through 90 days of follow-up.
Scientists have isolated from various sources a number of previously undescribed bacteriophages that are unusually large in size, as well as a large genome that encodes variants of the CRISPR-Cas bacterial immunity system.
Bacteriophages will be studied on the International Space Station. A new NASA research project will examine the effects of microgravity and radiation on the interactions between phages and bacteria.
To prevent uncontrolled phage proliferation in the host organism, they must be destroyed immediately after interaction with the target bacteria. The photothermal properties of gold nanoparticles can be used for this purpose.
In 2019, a 62-year-old American man became the first patient at the renowned Mayo Clinic to receive phage therapy for an antibiotic-resistant infection. The therapy proved effective.
A Phase 1b clinical trial will study the use of the phage preparation LBP-EC01 in urinary tract infections caused by E. coli . In addition to its natural lytic activity, the preparation has DNA-targeted CRISPR-Cas3 activity.
The British broadcaster BBC included phage therapy for antibiotic-resistant infections in its list of the most important medical achievements of humanity in 2019.
Danish scientists are working on developing a phage preparation to prevent diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli in pigs.
Finnish scientists have shown in animal studies that bacteriophages on the mucous membrane protect against the penetration of pathogenic bacteria.
Bacteriophages are a promising method of combating phytopathogenic bacteria, the mechanism of action of which has three components
A startup developing bacteriophage-based methods for combating cholera outbreaks has won the TropMed19 tropical medicine competition in the United States.
There are arguments in favor of the fact that the development of alcoholic liver disease is associated, among other things, with certain microorganisms, in the fight against which specific bacteriophages can be used
Young children who received two or more courses of antibiotics for ARIs within a year had an increased risk of not responding to subsequent courses of antibiotics.
Swiss researchers have genetically modified phages so that they recognize and attack a wider range of bacterial strains than their wild ancestors.
More and more data is emerging on the interaction of bacteriophages not only with their host bacteria but also with the human immune system. Studying the mechanisms of such interactions could form the basis for the development of new anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents.
