New research sharpens century-old phage therapy against superbug crisis

The core idea of century-old viral therapy could help us out of an impending superbug crisis-a treatment that became common in the 1920s before antibiotics arrived to offer easier and more effective ways of treating infections.

Antimicrobial resistance, a mounting challenge, suggests that phage therapy might be set for a dramatic comeback to address the life-threatening problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

We are quite aware that bacteria are continually evolving beyond our drug defenses, causing treatments that were once very effective to fail and creating a major public health problem.

What are some potential studies to probe antibiotic resistance?

A new study conducted by the researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel and the University of Melbourne in Australia demonstrates that page therapy shows promise in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

There are certain challenges to overcome in phage therapy. For example, bacteria can evolve mechanisms to resist or outwit the bacteriophages, which must be understood to how to move the therapy forward.

The researchers closely monitored the bacterium Bacillus subtilis and a variety of phages used to infect it.

During their investigation, they discovered the protein YjbH, which plays a crucial role and is observed in many bacteria.

Bacteriophage mechanisms of damage limitation

Bacteriophages work by attaching themselves to bacteria cells and particularly these cells to replicate and spread.

The bacterial cell bursts, releasing more phages. Meanwhile,YjbH senses this invasion and takes pivotal steps to alleviate the damage, effectively enclosing the spot where the bacteriophage has attached itself.

Once the cell has divided, it attempts to successfully survive destruction.

Future Implications for Defense Mechanisms

The study presents a promising alternative in the fight against the growing crisis of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

However, it is a long way from being able to effectively deal with bacterial defense mechanisms and the several other issues facing phage therapy.

The recent study has its own limitations, and more work is needed for future investigation, specifically to analyze its findings in combination with antibiotic treatments.