A medical treatment first used over 100 years ago may offer a solution to today's rising threat of antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy, which uses viruses known as bacteriophages to kill harmful bacteria, was widely used in the 1920s before antibiotics became the standard for treating infections.
However, as bacteria continue to evolve and become resistant to existing antibiotics, researchers are now revisiting this old technique with renewed interest.
A recent study led by scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Melbourne highlights the potential of phage therapy in addressing superbugs - bacteria that no longer respond to conventional drugs. The findings, published in Cell Reports, suggest that phage therapy could play a vital role in future medical treatments.
Despite the promise, there are challenges. Just as bacteria adapt to antibiotics, they can also develop resistance to phages. Understanding these resistance mechanisms is key to improving the effectiveness and long-term viability of phage therapy.
Researchers believe that with further study and development, phage therapy could become a critical tool in combating one of modern medicine's most urgent problems.
"Understanding the arms race between phages and bacteria not only deepens our knowledge of how bacteria defend themselves but also opens the door to next-generation treatments," writes molecular biologist Debnath Ghosal, from the University of Melbourne.
The researchers closely examined the bacterium Bacillus subtilis and various phages used to target it. They discovered that the protein YjbH, commonly found in many bacteria, played a key role in the bacterium's defense mechanisms against phage attacks.
"We hope that by reactivating phage therapy, we can contribute to non-antibiotic treatments for infections," writes Ghosal. "With so many antibiotic-resistant infections emerging, after 100 years, it's time to reconsider the benefits of phage therapy."
