At the annual congress of the American Society of Nutrition, which took place in Boston (USA) on June 9-12, 2018, the results of the first clinical trial in the Western Hemisphere on the use of bacteriophages in the treatment of intestinal disorders - the Bacteriophage for Gastrointestinal Health (PHAGE) Study - were presented .

Results of the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover PHAGE study confirmed* the safety and good tolerability of bacteriophages as a means of eliminating pathogenic bacteria from the intestine. Phage therapy can be used instead of antibiotics: unlike antibiotics, phages act specifically and destroy only the targeted harmful bacteria; they do not affect beneficial microflora, which plays an important role in intestinal function and immune responses, and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

The PHAGE study involved 31 patients with gastrointestinal complaints (no specific gastrointestinal diseases had been diagnosed). Participants were divided into two groups. One group received a mixture of bacteriophages specific for E. coli (LH01-Myoviridae, LL5-Siphoviridae, T4D-Myoviridae, and LL12-Myoviridae) for four weeks, while the other received a placebo. After a two-week break, the first group received a placebo for four weeks, while the second group received bacteriophages.

All participants tolerated the treatment well. Furthermore, when taking bacteriophages, patients showed a reduction in interleukin-4 levels, a marker of inflammation associated with allergic reactions. Furthermore, bacteriophage administration promoted a healthy intestinal microbiome, including a reduction in the levels of the dangerous bacterium Clostridium perfringens and an increase in the concentrations of several beneficial commensal species.

The study's authors noted that bacteriophages may be useful in addressing nutritional deficiencies associated with chronic diarrhea, a problem common in developing countries and the second leading cause of childhood mortality worldwide. The authors are currently seeking support in identifying optimal bacteriophage strains for this application.

* https://www.eventscribe.com/2018/Nutrition2018/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=405526