Blog – Current Topics on Bacteriophages
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Bacteriophages in Food Processing

Foodborne illnesses, despite many advances in food hygiene and pathogen surveillance, remain a leading cause of hospitalizations and deaths worldwide. Conventional antimicrobial methods such as pasteurization, high-pressure processing, irradiation,…
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Pills instead of a doctor’s visit

"Your own child has a fever, is in pain, is coughing—what should you do? Seeing a doctor would be advisable, but for parents in Kenya’s slums this is often not possible. Instead, they buy cheap antibiotics—with dangerous consequences."…

Bacteriophages: Why the antibiotic alternative is struggling

"Bacteriophages are viruses with one goal: to gain control over pathogens. They can help where antibiotics fail. However, they still face a difficult legal standing in the EU. The result is medical tourism. A search for clues. Maximilian…

Phage Therapy for Pneumonia and Inflammatory Response

"Supported by years of clinical application in some countries and more recently by literature on experimental models as well as compassionate use in Europe and the USA, bacteriophage (phage) therapy offers a solution for difficult-to-treat bacterial…

Therapeutic Potential of Phages in Autoimmune Liver Diseases

Autoimmune liver disease (ALD) presents a significant medical challenge, as there is a considerable number of patients for whom current therapy offers questionable or no benefit, yet side effects can be severe, including the development of malignancy.…

Bacteriophages versus antibiotic therapy on gut bacterial communities in green sea turtles

Green sea turtles are endangered herbivorous hindgut fermenters that contribute to a variety of marine ecosystems. In turtle hospitals, weakened turtles are often rehabilitated. Since the precise diagnosis of a disease is difficult, broad-spectrum…

Bacterial Killers in the Clinic

Because they could complement antibiotics, researchers worldwide are working with bacteriophages, bacteria-infecting viruses. The first preparations containing these bacterial killers are already in clinical development. A study is also expected…

Bacteriophages found to combat antibiotic resistance in kitchen sponges

Researchers at the New York Institute of Technology have discovered that bacteriophages that combat antibiotic resistance may be present in household kitchen sponges. As the threat of antibiotic resistance grows, bacteriophages, or phages for…
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Sharp rise in antibiotic-resistant pathogens in India

In India, the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is increasing sharply. This was reported by Sebastian Manns, correspondent for ARD radio in New Delhi, and by Indian media on June 5, 2019. A study by the Indian health authorities found…

Concern about hospital-acquired pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa

28 patients at the Cologne Medical Care Center have fallen ill with a bacterial infection. All had been treated for back pain – such as herniated discs. An 84-year-old man has now died as a result of the infection – presumably with the pathogen…

How Predators Influence Our Gut Flora – Bacteriophages

The gut microbiome is a complex, interconnected ecosystem of species. And as in any ecosystem, some organisms are predators and others are prey. A new study conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Wyss Institute examines…

How Predators Influence Our Gut Microbiota: Bacteriophages

The gut microbiome is a complex and interconnected ecosystem of species. And, as in any ecosystem, some organisms are predators and others are prey. A new study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Wyss Institute examines the…
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Antibiotics are contaminating rivers worldwide

The research team looked for residues of 14 commonly prescribed antibiotics in rivers from 72 different countries. Antibiotics were found in almost two thirds of the samples. Three medicines stand out Dangerous levels of pollution were measured…
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Phages saved my daughter’s life – Phage Therapy

A cocktail of phages saved the life of a teenager who had a deadly and seemingly untreatable infection. Isabelle's body was attacked by bacteria, and she was given less than a 1% chance of survival. However, doctors at Great Ormond Street…

Phage Therapy: Which Factors Determine the Bioavailability of Phages?

Bacteriophages are no longer forgotten viruses: scientists and practitioners seek to understand the pharmacokinetics of phages in animals and humans and to investigate bacteriophages as therapeutics, nanotransporters, or microbiome components.…
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Killer Bacteria: Death Toll from Antibiotic Resistance Rises

They have such appetizing names as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Acinetobacter spp. And they are modern killers that are claiming more and more lives.…

Viruses may help treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis

Using a freshwater fish model of cystic fibrosis (CF), the researchers found that a combination of bacteriophages and antibiotics is effective against the disease. Pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria is the leading cause of…
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Successful treatment of an antibiotic-resistant bone infection with phages and antibiotics

A patient with an infection of the left tibia with XDR Acinetobacter baumannii and MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae was treated with bacteriophages and antibiotics. After a short time, an improvement in the tissue was observed. The pathogens could…

Bacteriophages of the Human Gut

The human gut microbiota consists of a multitude of different microorganisms. While the bacterial microorganisms of the gut microbiota have been well analyzed, comparatively little is known about the composition and physiological significance…

WHO: Limit the use of antibiotics to preserve their effectiveness

Antibiotics cannot cure infections caused by viruses. Nevertheless, flu season leads to increased use of antibiotics every year. During the winter months, several studies have observed an increase in antibiotic prescribing, particularly for…