Personalized Bacteriophage Therapy: Insights from 100 Consecutive Cases

Jean-Paul Pirnay and his team from the Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels, Belgium, and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group for Non-traditional Antibacterial Therapy (ESGNTA), Basel, Switzerland, have presented a detailed analysis of personalized bacteriophage therapy (BT) outcomes. This retrospective observational study analyzed…
Exploring the Phageome: Differences in Healthy and Atopic Dermatitis Skin

Exploring the Phageome: Differences in Healthy and Atopic Dermatitis Skin

Study workflow and bacterial communities in healthy skin and AD. In this study published in Science Advances, Wolfgang Weninger and his team from the Medical University of Vienna, have highlighted the role of bacteriophages in the skin’s microbiome, particularly in relation to atopic dermatitis (AD). By analyzing skin swabs from both healthy individuals and AD…

Untapped Potential: Phage Model Systems as Next-Generation Therapeutic Agents

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology have introduced an innovative approach to strengthen the effectiveness of phage therapy against drug-resistant bacteria. As antibiotic resistance continues to rise globally, finding alternative treatments is increasingly urgent, and phages – viruses that target bacteria – have emerged as a promising option. The proposed procedure to…
Armed phages are heading for clinical trials

Armed phages are heading for clinical trials

Armed phages, engineered to carry a CRISPR–Cas , have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in combating Escherichia coli infections in animal models. Led by Antonia P. Sagona and Jessica Maree Lewis from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick in Coventry, UK, this research represents significant progress in the fight against bacterial infections. By…
Vibrio cholerae CBASS System Revolutionizes Antibiotic Sensitivity

Vibrio cholerae CBASS System Revolutionizes Antibiotic Sensitivity

On-target antifolate activity is essential for CBASS–antifolate interaction in V. cholerae. A recent study led by Ana Rita Brochado, published in Nature Microbiology, shed light on the modulation of resistance and killing by antifolate antibiotics through the Vibrio cholerae CBASS phage defense system. In their research, Brochado and her team, discovered that the cyclic-oligonucleotide-based anti-phage signaling system…

Nearly complete structure of bacteriophage DT57C has been revealed

Architecture of the DT57C bacteriophage. Scientists have unraveled the intricate molecular structure of bacteriophage DT57C, a member of the T5 family of tailed bacteriophages. These viruses are characterized by a long non-contractile tail and play a vital role in controlling bacterial populations. The DT57C bacteriophage, closely related to the well-known T5 phage, exhibits unique characteristics,…

Enhancing Precision in Phage Therapy: Insights from Phage Annotation and Nomenclature

A paper  by Robert A Edwards and Bhavya Papudeshi from Flinders University, focused on refining the understanding and application of bacteriophages. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria, exerting a significant influence on microbial communities and ecosystems. They have garnered considerable attention for their potential role in combating antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy predominantly relies on lytic…

Exploring Phage Therapy: From Biological Mechanisms to Future Directions

Potential phage therapy applications from the One Health perspective In response to escalating antimicrobial resistance rates, the field of bacteriophage (phage) therapy, led by Robert T. Schooley and his team at the Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics, Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA,…

Phage Therapy Targets Gut Microbiota for Liver Disease Treatment

In a significant development, phage therapy is emerging as a solution against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, marking a shift from conventional antibiotic treatments. Recognizing the intricate connection between bacterial microbiota and gastrointestinal/liver diseases, researchers are aiming to leverage phages’ precise bactericidal action for targeted editing of the gut microbiota. Fujiki et al. provided an overview of the…
Virus Attacks Dormant Bacteria, Offering New Hope in Antibiotic Resistance Fight

Virus Attacks Dormant Bacteria, Offering New Hope in Antibiotic Resistance Fight

After six years of research, teams from the University of Basel and ETH Zurich have discovered a potentially crucial weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria: a virus named Paride that preys on and kills dormant bacteria. This bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause severe respiratory diseases and potentially fatal pneumonia, often enters a dormant state as a…