On May 14, 2020, the online conference " ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY 2020 – Modern Theory and International Practice " will be held with the participation of leading specialists from Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland in the fields of pediatrics, pediatric gastroenterology, nutrition, and other fields. Topics for discussion at the conference will include the impact of antibiotic therapy in the perinatal period on the subsequent development and health of the child, antibiotic therapy for respiratory pathology in children, antibiotics and obesity, infectious diarrhea and foodborne infections in children, and more.

The conference will also focus on bacteriophages. Andriy Valerievich Voznyak , PhD (Med.), Associate Professor of the Department of Pediatrics No. 1 at the Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, will present a paper entitled " Bacteriophages as an Alternative to Antibiotic Therapy in Pediatric Practice ," in which he will discuss the experience of using the domestically produced drugs " Pyofag " and " Intestifag ."

As a reminder, bacteriophages are natural enemies of bacteria—viruses that destroy only specific bacteria. Unlike antibiotics, they do not suppress the body's normal microflora, have no toxic effects, and rarely cause allergic reactions. Bacteriophage concentrations at the site of infection undergo self-regulation: they increase as phages multiply in susceptible bacteria (the more target bacteria, the more phages), and then decrease after the infection is eliminated. During treatment with bacteriophages, the risk of bacteria developing acquired resistance to them is minimal.

The use of bacteriophages is particularly beneficial in children, for whom frequent and prolonged antibiotic therapy can have negative long-term consequences. Unlike antibiotics, bacteriophages do not cause dysbiosis or allergic reactions and are non-toxic. Bacteriophages can be used not only for the treatment but also for the prevention of bacterial infections. They stimulate the immune system, making them effective in treating chronic inflammatory diseases in weakened patients.