Who discovered phage therapy?

Two years later, Felix d’Herelle, a microbiologist at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, picked up where Twort left off and first proposed phages as a therapy for human infections.

Is phage therapy still used?

Phages are currently being used therapeutically to treat bacterial infections that do not respond to conventional antibiotics, particularly in Russia and Georgia.

Why is phage therapy better than antibiotics?

Compared to antibiotics, only a single phage is required to kill a single bacterium and so fewer units are required per treatment. Phages also do not dissociate from bacterial targets once irreversibly adsorbed. However, multiple phages may adsorb to individual bacteria.

Can humans get sick from bacteriophages?

Each phage can only kill one type of bacteria, so if a doctor knows what kind of bacteria is infecting a patient, it might be possible to give the patient a phage that can infect and kill that type of bacteria. Phages cannot infect human cells, and so they pose no threat to us.

Is phage therapy better than antibiotics?

Phages won’t harm any of your cells except for the bacterial cells that they’re meant to kill. Phage therapy has fewer side effects than antibiotics. On the other hand, most antibiotics have a much wider host range. Some antibiotics can kill a wide range of bacterial species at the same time.

Will the proposed phage production system ever be realized?

Some parts of the proposed system, such as cell free production of synthetic phages using a bedside device, have a reasonable chance of being realized, while other elements, such as corporate sponsorship, will likely remain limited to the realm of science fiction.

Where are phage therapy centers being set up?

All over the world, phage therapy centers are being set up, following in the footsteps of the Eliava Institute and the phage therapy unit at the Hirszfeld Institute in Wrocław, Poland ( Miêdzybrodzki et al., 2012 ).

Are phages medicinal products?

The Promise of the Phage Therapy Medicinal Product At their reintroduction in the Western world, phage preparations were classified as medicinal products (European Union) or drugs (US), based on the literal implementation of definitions.

What is a phage API and how is it produced?

Phage APIs can be produced by both private companies and public institutions. The phage API, accompanied by its batch record protocol and the results of the External Quality Assessments, is then transferred to the hospital pharmacy for possible incorporation in magistral formulas. Ideally, active phage APIs are selected against the target bacteria.