Hurdles in using Bacteriophages against Antibiotic Resistant Infections
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Mentor Information
Dr. Olukemi Akintewe
Description
Phage therapy is an innovative approach to combat bacterial infections using bacteriophages or viruses to integrate bacteria as therapeutic agents. The use of bacteriophages is limited in modern medicine due to the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics. Recently, the application of bacteriophages in medicine has resurged due to the rise of antibiotic resistance. Despite the promising effects of bacteriophages, the in-vivo administration can have drawbacks such as possibility of unexpected immune responses triggered by the phage. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of different phage therapy trials administered in-vivo in a variety of hosts such as mice, cattle, pigs, etc. The variables analyzed in this study included the frequency and time period of administration, as well as the cure-rate or infection survival rate. Our analysis found that trials utilizing a cocktail therapy were most effective against most bacterial strains. The frequency and time length of administration of phages was dependent on the type of host and the target site. The risks associated with phage therapy were assessed to be very low and the effectiveness varied across studies. The results of this study indicate that large scale studies are needed before phage therapy can permanently be adopted as a treatment option. Overall, our findings suggest that phage therapy has the potential to be a safe and effective alternative to traditional antibiotics. Further investigation is necessary to determine the optimal treatment strategies and to establish guidelines for the use of phage therapy in clinical settings.
Hurdles in using Bacteriophages against Antibiotic Resistant Infections
Phage therapy is an innovative approach to combat bacterial infections using bacteriophages or viruses to integrate bacteria as therapeutic agents. The use of bacteriophages is limited in modern medicine due to the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics. Recently, the application of bacteriophages in medicine has resurged due to the rise of antibiotic resistance. Despite the promising effects of bacteriophages, the in-vivo administration can have drawbacks such as possibility of unexpected immune responses triggered by the phage. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of different phage therapy trials administered in-vivo in a variety of hosts such as mice, cattle, pigs, etc. The variables analyzed in this study included the frequency and time period of administration, as well as the cure-rate or infection survival rate. Our analysis found that trials utilizing a cocktail therapy were most effective against most bacterial strains. The frequency and time length of administration of phages was dependent on the type of host and the target site. The risks associated with phage therapy were assessed to be very low and the effectiveness varied across studies. The results of this study indicate that large scale studies are needed before phage therapy can permanently be adopted as a treatment option. Overall, our findings suggest that phage therapy has the potential to be a safe and effective alternative to traditional antibiotics. Further investigation is necessary to determine the optimal treatment strategies and to establish guidelines for the use of phage therapy in clinical settings.
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