BACTERIOPHAGES: A CENTURY LATER, THEY ARE BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Abstract

One of the major problems of modern public health is the widespread spread of multidrug resistance in pathogenic microorganisms. According to WHO estimates, by 2050 mortality from infectious diseases will reach 10 million people per year, which is comparable with the figures from the beginning of the 20th century, before the introduction of antibiotics into medical practice. In this situation, the search, development and introduction of alternative ways to combat bacterial infections is of paramount importance for the preservation of human life and health.

Of particular interest is phage therapy - the use of viruses as natural enemies of bacteria to fight them. Bacteriophages can be an effective alternative to antibiotics or a complement to them in the treatment of resistant bacterial infections.

In this article, the authors present a brief historical sketch of the beginning and further development of the use of bacteriophages as a therapy for bacterial infections, as well as a review of current research on the use of phages against multidrug-resistant bacteria.

This overview will provide a holistic picture of the development of phage therapy methods and examples of their further development.