Phage therapy: facts and fiction

Int J Med Microbiol. 2006 Feb;296(1):5-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2005.09.002. Epub 2005 Nov 15.

Abstract

Recent examples of the use of bacteriophages in controlling bacterial infections are presented, some of which show therapeutic promise. The therapeutic use of bacteriophages, possibly in combination with antibiotics, may be a valuable approach. However, it is also quite clear that the safe and controlled use of phage therapy will require detailed information on the properties and behavior of specific phage-bacterium systems, both in vitro and especially in vivo. In vivo susceptibility of bacterial pathogens to bacteriophages is still largely poorly understood and future research on more phage-bacterium systems has to be undertaken to define the requirements for successful phage treatments.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteriophages*
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / virology*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / therapy*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / virology
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / virology*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / therapy*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / virology