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News

Using Bacteriophages to Fight Bacterial Infections


 

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of hospital infections in England and Wales, and treating these infections is becoming more difficult as the causative organism becomes more resistant to antibiotics.  Microbiologists are experimenting with the use of bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, as a way to help control these bacterial infections despite antibiotic resistance. 

According to an article, published by the Institute of Food Research, researchers in the United Kingdom discovered a bacteriophage that specifically targets C. difficile. Using the human colon as a model, scientists discovered that use of a specific bacteriophage significantly reduced the number of C. difficile cells and the amount of toxin produced.  The use of the bacteriophage also did not significantly affecting the other bacteria that occur naturally in the digestive system, as stated in the journal article published in <u>Anaerobe</u>.  The bacteriophage works by lysogeny, or inserting its DNA into the bacterial chromosome. This  process kills some cells and leaves others unable to produce toxins.  While this does not kill all of the cells, it weakens the attack of the bacterial infection and helps doctors treat cases faster, giving bacteriophage treatment exciting potential to help reduce cases of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitals.