What is Phage Therapy?
How Phages Shaped Life on Earth
Over the eons, bacteria and Bacteriophage Viruses evolved together. Without these Bacteriophage Viruses counterbalancing bacteria, humans might not exists as a species and the Earth might be covered instead with a thick mat of bacterial goo. Instead, Bacteriophages or phages for short, evolved alongside bacteria keeping them in check by selectively lysing (destroying) them.
Félix d’Herelle Unveils the Power of Bacteriophages
In 1917, Félix d’Herelle discovered bacteriophages in his research and quickly realized their potential for therapy in curing bacterial infections.
A Century of Quiet Use in Georgia
From there, Phage Therapy became the standard of care for bacterial infections. When faster and effective antibiotics came on the scene in the early 1940’s, Phage Therapy was abandoned in all but a few locations, namely, Eliava Phage Therapy Treatment Center in Tbilisi, Georgia. There doctors and scientists have been quietly using Phage Therapy for almost 100 years.
Phage Therapy’s Revival Amid the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance
With the explosion of AMR infections, antibiotic resistance has caused a resurgence in Phage Therapy as an alternative to using antibiotics or using it alongside antibiotics. All over the world scientists are working to develop Phage Therapy as treatment for infections and especially infections that fail to respond to antibiotics.
The resurgence of Phage Therapy globally may be the single most important factor that keeps the AMR crisis from rising above 40 million deaths by 2050.