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A bacteriophage is a type of virus that infects and replicates in bacteria. Bacteriophages are ubiquitous viruses that can be found wherever bacteria exist. It is estimated that there are over 1000 bacteriophages on our planet, more than any other organism on Earth, including bacteria. Research suggests that humans absorb up to 30 billion bacteriophages daily through the gut, which makes you wonder if they can affect our physiology, perhaps by regulating our immune system. For decades, researchers have been trying to use these bacterial parasites as antibiotics.
What is a bacteriophage?
A bacteriophage or phage is one of many types of viruses. Translating their name from Greek, we get literally “bacteria eaters” and that’s exactly what they do. Bacteriophages are absolute cellular parasites, and their life cycle is inseparably connected with the bacterial cell. Bacteriophages are composed of proteins that surround the DNA or RNA genome and can be simple or complex in structure.
Bacteriophages are found everywhere, on land, in water, in whatever life form they target. Researchers believe bacteriophages cause a trillion trillion successful infections per second and destroy up to 40 percent of all bacterial cells in the ocean each day.
There are thousands of strains of bacteriophages, each of which have evolved to infect only one or more types of bacteria. Like other viruses, they cannot replicate themselves, but must take control of the bacterial reproductive machinery. To do this, they attach themselves to the bacteria and insert their genetic material. The bacteriophages then destroy the cell by breaking it down to release new virus particles, which in turn infect more bacteria.
It is known that bacteriophages interact with the immune system both indirectly through bacterial expression of proteins encoded by bacteriophages, and directly through their influence on innate immunity and bacterial clearance.
Also read: Human genetic code – tasks and features
Bacteriophage – effect on health
In addition to killing the species of bacteria that cause infections, antibiotics also destroy many of the beneficial bacteria that make up our microbiome, which can have a variety of short- and long-term health effects. The rapid multiplication of bacteria in combination with the selective action of antibiotics results in the formation of strains resistant to antibiotics. Bacteriophages, in turn, mainly act on the bacteria they infect, so additional damage to other bacteria or human cells is minimal. Likewise, the chance of bacteria becoming resistant to bacteriophages is also low. They can shed surface receptors used by the bacteriophage to dock and enter cells, but this is extremely rare.
Additionally, it is worth noting that due to the huge amount of bacteriophages found in nature, if you come across a resistant bacterium, you can always find a new bacteriophage that uses different receptors. Interestingly, just such a case was described in the study published in 2016 in Scientific Reports. At Yale University, a bacteriophage taken from a local joint was used to treat a life-threatening bacterial infection in the chest of an 80-year-old male.
Finally, it is impossible not to mention that it takes years to develop antibiotics, and that identifying the right bacteriophage and matching it to a specific bacterial infection can be done in a matter of days, making personalized phage therapy a potential reality in the future.
See also: A bacteriophage to help with food poisoning
Bacteriophage – threats
Phage therapy is still being tested. The studies have been largely observational or conducted in small, non-randomized trials, which means that researchers do not yet know exactly how this therapy works and what potential risks it entails.
Preclinical animal studies indicate that phage therapy is possibly safe for most people, at least when applied topically to the skin. However, given the lack of control and transparency, it is also possible that the side effects have been understated.
One of the issues that puzzles researchers is septic shock. This is because many bacterial cells release endotoxins when broken down by a bacteriophage, which can lead to an overwhelming immune response and organ failure. However, it should be noted that some of the antibiotics currently available are also affected. Moreover, there is not much information available about septic shock in response to phage therapy.
Another risk of using bacteriophages is their ability to transfer DNA from one bacterium to another through a naturally and common process known as transduction. There are therefore well-founded concerns that by using bacteriophages, toxins may be introduced into already pathogenic bacteria or non-pathogenic bacteria may be converted into pathogens. However, this problem can be solved by pre-selecting bacteriophages that have been thoroughly tested for toxins and virulence factors. Anyway, over time it may turn out to be a lot easier due to the use of constantly expanding phage libraries, which are currently being worked on by several teams around the world.
Bacteriophage a therapy fagowa
Bacteriophages are viruses that can infect and kill bacteria without adversely affecting human or animal cells. For this reason, it is believed that they can be used alone or in combination with antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. The use of bacteriophages to fight bacterial infections is called phage therapy or bacteriophage therapy.
Bacteriophages kill bacteria by causing them to break down. This happens when the virus binds to bacteria. The virus infects bacteria by injecting its genes (DNA or RNA).
The bacteriophage copies (reproduces) inside the bacteria. According to a 2017 study published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics, each bacterium can produce up to 1000 new viruses. Eventually, the bacteriophage breaks down the bacteria, releasing new bacteriophages. Bacteriophages can only reproduce and grow inside the bacteria. Once all bacteria are destroyed, they will stop multiplying. Like other viruses, bacteriophages can remain dormant (hibernated) until more bacteria appear.
Phage therapy can be very important in treating infections that do not respond to antibiotics. For example, it can be used against a strong bacterial infection caused by staphylococcus aureus (Latin staphylococcus) called MRSA.
Bacteriophage an antibiotyk
Antibiotics are drugs that destroy bacteria in our body. While they are very useful for saving lives and preventing the spread of disease, they can cause serious problems. First of all, they can kill not only the bad bacteria, but also the good ones. The body needs certain types of bacteria to help it digest food, produce nutrients and stay healthy. In addition, the good bacteria inhibit the growth of other bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Therefore, antibiotics can cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting, stomach upset, gas, diarrhea and yeast infections.
Second, antibiotics can make the bad bacteria in our body stronger, that is, resistant or resistant to treatment with antibiotics. Resistance occurs when bacteria evolve or change to become stronger than antibiotics. In extreme cases, this can cause serious infections that cannot be cured, resulting in the patient’s death. To avoid this, use antibiotics correctly, that is, use them only in the case of bacterial infections. Antibiotics do not cure viral infections such as colds, flu, and bronchitis. You should also only use antibiotics when you really need them and use them exactly as prescribed. It is also very important not to use these funds after their expiry date.
Also check: Superbugs are attacking. A quiet XNUMXst century pandemic that kills millions