Review on phage therapy: A novel approach to combat antibiotic resistance

Abstract

Almost a century before penicillin was discovered since then antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens became a substantial threat to the human race. However, the development of new classes of antibiotics has slowed in recent years due to the complex and lingering process of development and formulation of new antibiotics. There is now a strong need for new antimicrobial therapies. Phage therapy has emerged as a comparatively effective and faster-evolving practice for treating bacterial infections. Bacteriophages, are viruses that specifically kills bacteria and have been used since 1919 as an alternative way of treating infections like Shigella dysenteriae. The host range of lytic phages is practically determined by the fact that most phages are only infectious to bacteria that have their complementary receptor. Phages differ in their host specificity; some are only capable of infection a particular type of bacteria, while others are capable of infecting entire genera. Bacteria have developed an extensive number of defense mechanisms against lytic phage infection, and phages have harvested an equally remarkable range of defense mechanisms against bacterial resistance. This diversity is where phages excel compared to antibiotics. They can target specific bacterial strains, minimizing damage to beneficial bacteria in the body. As the threat of antibiotic resistance grows, phage therapy offers a promising alternative for treating bacterial infections. Phage therapy represents a promising avenue for combating antibiotic resistance and address the root cause of this issue.