Treatment with bacteriophages of various bacterial and other pathologies: scheme, course

Pathogenic bacteria with which many diseases are associated exist for billions of years, but effective drugs against them began to appear no more than a century ago. Even children know about such drugs against bacteria, like antibiotics. But that is not known to all that these antibacterial drugs have no less effective replacement. This substitution is bacteriophages, which can be called a drug with a stretch, as well as various vaccines. Nevertheless, practice shows that treatment with bacteriophages is akin to antibiotic therapy, only it is much safer for a person, since it has practically no side effects.

What are bacteriophages?

Bacteria are the cause of various diseases of people, which, if not treated effectively, can even lead to death. This is an immutable truth, with which no one will argue. But for some reason, few of us seriously thought about the question, do pests exist among the bacteria themselves, which can lead to their death?

The question, by the way, is quite natural, because on our planet practically all living creatures have enemies. They also have bacteria. The name of these microorganisms is bacteriophages, which are so small that they can penetrate into microscopic bacterial cells, and are so insidious that they can lead a bacterium to self-destruction.

About such a phenomenon as bacteriophage, humanity has learned exactly 100 years ago, although it exists very, very long time ago. The name of microorganisms was given by the French-Canadian microbiologist F. D'Erell, and it denotes a "bacteria eater". Further study of bacteriophages cast doubt on the validity of such a name for microorganisms, but nothing has changed.

So what is bacteriophage in its essence? This non-cellular form of life is akin to viruses. And their actions are somewhat reminiscent of these parasites, entering into living cells and, ultimately, leading to their destruction. In other words, these are viruses that do not affect humans or animals, but bacteria that parasitize living organisms, which led to the idea in 1921 to conduct an experiment to treat bacteriophages of severe diarrhea in a child. The experiment was successful, which gave impetus to scientists to continue their work in this direction.

What are bacteriophages? A viral particle (virion) is a kind of microscopic tadpole whose body consists of a head and a long tail. As already mentioned, this is a non-cellular form of a living organism that does not imagine existence outside the host cell.

The head of a bacteriophage carries in itself some kind of genetic information (program) contained in a nucleic acid molecule (DNA or RNA), which is protected by a protein coat (capsid). The tail of the bacteriophage is nothing more than a continuation of the capsid. It is used for the movement of a virus within a living organism and the "programming" of host cells (the injection of genetic material into the bacterial cell). There are also atypical forms of bacteriophages: tailless and filiform.

The size of bacteriophages is incredibly small. They are tens and hundreds of times smaller than microscopic microorganisms inside which they parasitize. So the head of the largest bacteriophage is 140 nanometers in diameter (for comparison, 1 mm is 1 million nanometers).

There are many varieties of bacteriophages. You can say that there are as many species as there are different forms and strains of bacteria. Each strain has its own bacteriophage, which is capable of destroying only these bacteria and is indifferent to others. The number of bacteriophages on the planet roughly coincides with the number of bacteria on it. In figures this is of the order of 10 ³⁰ -10 ³²  virions.

The mechanism of action of bacteriophages is to transmit genetic information to a cell within which the virus can multiply. They themselves do not produce energy and can not synthesize protein to build a cell, inside which a bacteriophage could give offspring (and this is the meaning of their existence). For this purpose, bacteriophages (or simply phages) use foreign cells, in this case bacterial cells, including pathogenic strains.

What was the mistake of the name "bacteriophage"? The thing is that the virus does not consume bacteria cells (this would be very problematic considering the size of the virion), but it acts differently. He passes genetic information to the bacterial cell (programming the cell), which forces it to run counter to common sense. The cell does not fight, but rather gives energy and protein from its shell to the fact that the bacteriophage can reproduce hundreds and thousands of similar ones.

For a short time (this may be a few minutes or several hours), the cell membrane of the cell is destroyed, and new bacteriophages go beyond it in search of a new host cell. Without energy and a protective shell, the bacterial cell kills, actually killing itself. And all new bacteriophages fully ripened inside the host cell begin to rush around the living organism in search of other bacterial cells that will suit them for reproduction.

Here is a parasite, these bacteriophages. But, what is useful for people. After all, if you enter even one bacteriophage into the human body in a few hours, it will reproduce thousands of "heirs" capable of destroying as many bacterial cells. And human cells of this selective parasite will not be of interest, as well as cells of beneficial bacteria that are also present in our body. The main thing for each disease is to select a bacteriophage active against the causative agent of the disease.

Indications for use of bacteriophages

In medicine, bacteriophages are not just viruses that parasitize bacteria cells. These are medications containing virions of the same species that are active against certain strains of bacteria. Otherwise, it can be said that these are antibacterial drugs with a narrow focus, so their use is justified only if the causative agent of the disease is known.

By the way, during the Great Patriotic War there was even an attempt to create a complex preparation, which included bacteriophages of various species that are capable of destroying bacteria that caused severe wound infections. It was the treatment of bacteriophages that helped to save the lives of many wounded soldiers.

To date, there are more than a dozen bacteriophage preparations. Many of them have a narrow focus, i.e. Are effective only for one type of bacteria. But there are complex drugs, which can be called an analogue of broad-spectrum antibiotics. True, their action is also limited to 3-6 names of bacterial pathogens. Therefore, before assigning a drug to a patient, it is necessary to conduct a study to identify the causative agent of the disease, especially if it is a narrowly directed drug.

In the indications for the use of this type of antibacterial drugs, there is necessarily information about which bacterium (or bacteria) this bacteriophage is effective, as well as a list of those pathologies in which it can be used. In principle, everything is the same as that of antibiotics.

Perhaps, someday, a drug effective against all bacteria that can cause a particular disease will be developed, but it is still under development. Today, the same bacteriophage can be used to treat many diseases, the causative agent of which is a specific species and strain of bacteria.

Prescribe drugs are recommended after a preliminary analysis on the pathogen, based on the results of laboratory testing. By the name of the majority of bacteriophages, it is possible to understand with what bacteria it is called to fight.

The course of treatment with a bacteriophage is usually 5 to 20 days, as indicated in the instructions for various bacteriophage preparations. Drugs can have different forms of release, so they can be taken orally, injected into the rectum (enema), or used as a local agent that will act directly at the site of infection.

The appointment of bacteriophages is advisable in the case of bacterial infection. These can be diseases of the ENT organs and the respiratory system, inflammatory pathologies of the genital, urinary and digestive systems and many other diseases. The most interesting is that some bacteriophages are able to help even where it seems that even bacteria are not talking about bacteria. For example, they are used to treat a non-infectious disease from the category of dermatoses called "psoriasis" and a fungal pathology known to many as thrush or candidiasis.

The use of innovative antibacterial viral preparations, according to multiple studies, is completely safe, than the treatment of bacteriophages not only adults but also children is justified. And to carry out such treatment is allowed from the very birth of the baby, if this is necessary. Doses of drugs are calculated based on the age of the child.

As for the treatment of adult patients with bacteriophages, it can be said with certainty that the drugs are approved for use at any age and condition. It is safe to treat them as old people, pregnant women or nursing mothers, because the effects of drugs in general are physiological. It is likely that they have already helped people to fight infections more than once, but the people themselves did not even know about it, because such a culture as bacteriophages exists on the planet for many hundreds and thousands of years.

Types of bacteriophages

Proceeding from the fact that each particular bacteriophage can be destructive to only one species of bacteria, and drugs are used for various pathologies caused by different pathogens, it can be concluded that there are several varieties of such antimicrobial drugs.

Let's start with the narrowly targeted drugs. These include:

• Bacteriophage Klebsiella polyvalent purified, effective against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella ozaenae, Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis.

With its help, one can treat a fetid runny nose (ogen), a sclerotic disease, bacterial diseases of the digestive tract, surgical and urogenital infections, purulent-inflammatory pathologies of the ENT organs and eyes associated with the above-mentioned stimulants. Apply the drug and with various inflammatory pathologies in newborns and children of the first year of life, as well as for the prevention of nosocomial infections caused by klebsiella.

• Bacteriophage of salmonellosis groups A, B, C, D, E (all those groups of salmonella that can be isolated in humans).

Indications for the use of the drug are diseases or bacteriocarriers associated with Salmonella 5 groups.

• Bacteriophage pseudomonas aeryuginosis (Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

The drug is prescribed for inflammatory pathologies of ENT organs and respiratory system, surgical and urogenital infections, bacterial pathologies of digestive organs, generalized septic diseases and other pathologies caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. With the help of this bacteriophage, purulent pathologies in newborns associated with this pathogen are treated. Apply it and for preventive purposes.

• Staphylococcus aureus

Treatment of staphylococcal bacteriophage is prescribed for the same diseases in the treatment of which the previous drug is used, but only if they are caused by a staphylococcal infection (the entire spectrum of staphylococci).

• Streptococcus bacteriophage

The same indications, but the diseases are associated with the bacteria of the streptococcal group.

• Bacteriophage dysentery polyvalent

With its help, treat dysentery caused by Flexler's shingella of all serovars except 5 and Shingella Sonne.

• Bacteriophage protei liquid

It is indicated for the treatment of children and adults, whose cause was the bacterium Proteus (Proteus).

• Bacteriophage coliprotein

Treatment with a colibrotein bacteriophage is prescribed for purulent-inflammatory diseases and intestinal infections caused by bacteria from the genus Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris and Escherichia coli.

• Bacteriophage coli

The drug, designed to fight the E. Coli, which provokes not only enteral infections, but also other purulent-inflammatory pathologies of different localization.

Next, consider several complex drugs, the so-called viral cocktails:

• Piobacteriophage multivalent liquid Sextapage ®

This medicine can be prescribed by doctors for all pathologies that are caused by streptococcal and staphylococcal infection, mirabilis and vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, pneumonia klebsiella.

• Intesti-bacteriophage

In the indications for the use of the drug we find all those diseases that can be caused by staphylococci, salmonella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, a proteus of 2 species, enterococci, causative agents of dysentery.

This drug is used primarily for the treatment of infectious pathologies of the digestive tract (dysentery, salmonellosis, dyspepsia, dysbacteriosis, inflammatory bowel diseases).

• Piobacteriophage polyvalent purified

The drug is used for various pathologies associated with bacteria of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus groups, a 2-species proteus, an intestinal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia.

• Piobacteriophage complex liquid

The drug is effective in various pathologies caused by one or several of the following bacteria: staphylococci, streptococci, enterococci, two types of proteins, intestinal and pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca, which in addition to pneumonia can cause a variety of inflammatory diseases of the urinary system, eyes, joints, membranes of the brain, oral cavity.

As we see, antibacterial preparations based on phages cover almost the entire spectrum of pathogenic bacteria that can cause human disease. Perhaps, in the future, drugs effective against other, less common pathogens will be developed.

To date, antibiotic therapy can be completely replaced or supplemented by treatment with appropriate bacteriophages. For example, treatment with streptococcal bacteriophage will help with pathologies such as angina, bronchitis, pneumonia, cystitis, pyelonephritis, cholecystitis, enterocolitis, conjunctivitis in newborns and many other pathologies associated with strains of streptococcus, in which previously unsafe antibiotics were prescribed. A treatment with a bacteriophage in number will completely replace antibiotic therapy for intestinal infections and other pathologies caused by E. Coli.

In severe cases of purulent-inflammatory pathologies, treatment with bacteriophages is combined with antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics only work against certain bacteria, but they do not pose a threat to viruses, including bacteriophages. At the same time, phages increase the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy, easily dealing with weakened, non-proliferation pathogenic microorganisms.

Treatment of infections with bacteriophages

Well, we have figured out what bacteriophages are, how they act on bacterial cells, what preparations are available on the basis of bacteriophages, and what their use in medicine is. Let us now examine in greater detail how, with the help of these antibacterial drugs, treat various infections caused by certain bacteria.

So, the therapy of staphylococcal infection can be carried out as a narrowly directed drug, or any of the 4 complex medicines. After all, they are all active against bacteria of staphylococcus, the most dangerous of which is the golden staphylococcus (S. Aureus). It is to him that we owe the appearance of purulent foci in the throat. It is this pathogen that causes the development of chronic and severe purulent infections, the most popular of which is purulent angina, which can give a large number of complications.

Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus by bacteriophages is carried out after the results of the analysis on the sensitivity to specific bacteriophages come. In most cases, doctors resort to the help of a staphylococcal bacteriophage. He is assigned to both adults and children. This and other effective bacteriophages are particularly useful if the patient can not be prescribed antibiotics for certain reasons.

Klebsiella treatment is  carried out by bacteriophages, effective against different strains of this bacterium, which causes pneumonia and other dangerous pathologies. Bacteriophage Klebsiella polyvalent purified or one of the complex preparations that will be effective against the detected strain of bacteria can be used for this purpose.

Treatment of Escherichia coli  can be carried out by two narrowly directed bacteriophages: Bacteriophage coli and Bacteriophage coli-Protein, as well as any of the complex preparations, which according to the results of the analysis will be active against Escherichia coli.

Treatment of streptococcus  can be carried out by streptococcal bacteriophage or resort to effective complex medications with the exception of Intesti-bacteriophage, which does not affect streptococcal infection.

Treatment of enterococcus  involves the reception of a complex bacteriophage Intesti-bacteriophage, but it is possible to use a bacteriophage complex liquid that is also capable of fighting bacteria of this species.

Treatment Pseudomonas aeruginosa is  carried out with drugs: Bacteriophage pseudomonas aeryuginosa (Pseudomonas) or one of the complex bacteriophages. Shinghellu from the body can be removed with the help of Bacteriophage desinterial polyvalent or complex drug Intesti-bacteriophage. Proteus can be treated with a bacteriophage proteus liquid or coliprotein, as well as any of the complex bacteriophages.

Salmonella can be controlled with the help of a bacteriophage of Salmonella or a complex Intesti-bacteriophage.

Treatment of enterobacter  and other bacteria not mentioned above by bacteriophages is still difficult. But scientists are actively engaged in the search for new phage species that would help to cope with these pathogenic microorganisms. So the Enterobacter polyvalent purified preparation has already passed 2 stages of clinical studies and shows greater efficacy against E. Aerogenes, E. Cloacae, E. Agglomerans. It is likely that soon the drug will help patients whose illness is associated with these pathogens.

A strain of the bacteriophage Helicobacter pylori under the number of MCMC F-07 is under development. On its basis, it is planned to create a new drug against gastritis and stomach ulcers associated with this bacterium.

Bacteriophages in the therapy of various diseases

Bacteriophages are, without a doubt, effective and safe drugs that can be prescribed for almost any infectious pathology. They are used even in the case of chlamydia, although the bacteriophage from chlamydia has not yet been developed. With respect to the chlamydia themselves, the bacteriophages present are powerless, but they help effectively combat secondary infection and dysbiosis, which often result from improper prescribing of antibiotic therapy.

And what about the other diseases, which are treated with bacteriophages? There are a lot of such diseases and it is simply impossible to consider them all in one article. Therefore, consider only the most popular and unusual cases of using bacterial "killers".

Treatment of angina by bacteriophages. If you do not take into account viruses, then the most common cause of primary angina are streptococci (namely, hemolytic streptococcus). In this case, the action of the bacteriophage streptococcal is indicative.

According to the instructions, a streptococcal bacteriophage, depending on the age of the child, can be prescribed in a dosage of 5 to 20 ml in the case of oral administration. If the drug is used in the form of an enema, the dosage will be from 5 -10 to 40 ml. Children older than 8 years and adults are orally administered 20-30 ml of bacteriophage, rectally from 30 to 40 ml. The course of treatment is from 1 to 3 weeks.

In the case of angina, the drug is also used to rinse the throat or can be buried in the nose.

As for secondary diseases, in most cases Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus), which causes purulent sore throat, is felt. Treatment of staphylococcus in the throat is carried out by Staphylococcus bacteriophage, the method of administration and dose of which are similar to the old-streptococcal.

More rarely, secondary angina may be caused by other pathogens, for example, Klebsiella pneumonia or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Either in the process of streptococcal or staphylococcal infection will join its other species. In this case, polyvalent and complex bacteriophages are appointed, for example, Sextafag. And in some cases, doctors prefer to conduct therapy with several narrowly-controlled drugs, depending on the pathogens identified.

Another problem with the throat, but inherent in children, is inflammation and an increase in adenoids (adenoiditis). The causative agents of the disease most often become streptococci, less often staphylococci and other bacteria. Treatment of adenoids with  antibiotics in most cases is not justified, because they kill a useful microflora in the mouth, which can not be said about bacteriophage therapy. You can use both staphylococcal and streptococcal bacteriophages, and effective for the treatment of ENT organs complex preparations.

By the way, many doctors believe that the cause of many inflammatory diseases of the ear and throat is the dysbiosis of the oral cavity. But since everything is connected in our organism, this is not all that matters. According to the doctors, the violation of the microflora in the throat is closely related to the intestinal dysbiosis, which means that if the intestine is treated, many respiratory pathologies and adenoiditis can be prevented.

Based on the above, it is no longer surprising that the doctors in adenoids prescribe  bacteriophage treatment of  intestinal dysbacteriosis. And it works. At a dysbacteriosis preparations are already appointed depending on the revealed pathogenic microflora. Good results are given in this regard by the complex preparation Intesti-bacteriophage, intended for treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies. In the case of inflammation of adenoids, other drugs can be prescribed that fight both intestinal dysbiosis and inflammatory processes in the pharynx.

Treatment of the common cold with bacteriophages. It should be understood that the common cold can be viral, allergic or bacterial in nature, so this symptom is easy to see for various pathologies. The use of bacteriophages is justified if the disease is associated with a bacterial infection, for example, in the case of sinusitis, rhinosinusitis, sinusitis. In any case, an analysis on the pathogen is required, because the fact that in most cases the cause of the disease is streptococcal infection does not mean that you need to remove to the background other types of bacteria. It can be and staphylococcus, and also moraxella, a hemophilic rod, etc.

Staphylococci and staphylococci frequently become the causative agents of sinusitis, and in the case of complicated flow in the maxillary sinuses can also be found Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella and other pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms. In this case, in the  treatment of sinusitis with bacteriophages, it is more expedient to prescribe complex preparations effective at once from several types of pathogen. If such a drug can not be picked up, designate a few narrow-minded.

In diseases of the ENT organs, including in sinusitis, bacteriophages are used inside and outside (instillation and washing of the nose).

Treatment of diseases of the respiratory system: bronchitis, pneumonia and others. Bacteriophages are no less popular than the therapy of ENT organs. Bronchitis is a pathology, the causative agents of which can equally become both viruses and bacteria. The use of bacteriophages is justified only in the second case, because they do not act with respect to viruses. Frequent pathogens of bronchitis are streptococci and staphylococci, Klebsiella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. If the pathogen is one, it is necessary to resort to treatment with a narrowly directed drug effective against the detected bacterium. Otherwise, you can resort to the help of complex bacteriophages.

Inflammation of the lungs in most cases is the result of the introduction into the body of streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumonia, against which the bacteriophage Streptococcus and Bacteriophage klebsiel polyvalent is active. But it is impossible to exclude the influence of other bacteria, especially if pneumonia is diagnosed as a complication of bronchitis, tracheitis or other pathologies. In this case the treatment of pneumonia is carried out by bacteriophages of complex action or by a combination of narrowly directed preparations.

Treatment of pathologies of the genitourinary system. The most popular in this regard are cystitis and pyelonephritis, and men also have prostatitis. Cystitis is a pathology, the richness of pathogens is simply amazing. Nevertheless, the whole spectrum of bacterial infection (with the exception of atypical forms, for example, chlamydia) in this disease can be treated with bacteriophages. The list of causative agents of the disease can be found in the composition Bacteriophage complex liquid, which is used in the treatment of cystitis. It is recommended to prescribe it with a mixed pathogenic flora. If there are no enterococci in it, you can resort to other complex drugs. With the same type of microflora, which is less common, narrowly focused drugs.

Pyelonephritis has no specific causative agent. Quite often the cause of this disease is the E. Coli and various types of coccal infections. Treatment of pyelonephritis with bacteriophages in E. Coli may include narrowly directed Bacteriophage coli and coli-proteine preparations. If other types of infectious pathogens from bacteria are found, then reception of complex preparations is shown.

Of interest is the treatment with bacteriophages of bacterial prostatitis, which in most cases is caused by 2 or 3 pathogens from the list: intestinal and pseudomonas aeruginosa, streptococci, Klebsiella, as well as Trichomonas, chlamydia, gonococci and other pathogenic microflora. In the treatment of prostatitis, complex drugs are of great effectiveness, which in many cases "mixed" microflora is prescribed in combination with antibiotics. The course of treatment in this case is small - 7-10 days, and improvement is observed already on 3-4 days.

In the case of urogenital infections, bacteriophages may be administered orally, rectally and topically for irrigation and rinsing. In some cases, the drug is prescribed even intravenously.

Treatment of anthrax, as an infectious disease, is usually done with antibiotics and immunoglobulins, but this can soon be done with a bacteriophage. The tailed bacteriophage Tsamsa, which is huge in viral measures (440 nm), will help in this. It provokes the self-destruction of Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) and its relatives, which provoke the development of toxic infections in humans. The drug is still under development, but one can hope that the safe treatment of the disease is not far off.

Treatment of non-bacterial pathologies. Psoriasis is considered a noninfectious disease, so the use of bacteriophages in this case seems more than strange. The cause of the disease is so certain and unknown, but there was a certain pattern between the appearance of psoriatic plaques and the colonization of the small intestine by a large number of bacteria. The treatment of psoriasis with bacteriophages is not in the washing of plaques with a solution, but in the treatment of the syndrome of excess bacterial growth (SIBR) in the small intestine, effective in each case antibacterial drugs of a viral nature (depending on the bacteria detected). At the same time, patients noticeably improve their condition, and the period of remission is noticeably prolonged.

Thrush or candidiasis is a fungal disease. Can bacteriophages be useful here? Scientists have discovered the development of candidiasis, i.e. Growth of fungal microflora, provoke staphylococci. And during the use of bacteriophages effective against staphylococci (including complex drugs or regimens), a strong decrease in the number of "fungi" of fungi of the genus Candida was observed in parallel for the treatment of various diseases.

Treatment of thrush with  staphylococcal bacteriophage in experiments led to the disappearance of clinical signs of candidiasis even in those cases when signs of staphylococcal infection were absent.

For the treatment of thrush, a special drug based on staphylococcal phage was developed, which allows you to fight the disease without using antifungal agents. Assign it 2 to 3 times a day for 4-7 days.

As we see from a detailed examination, bacteriophages can be useful even in cases that people do not yet suspect. For some reason, antibiotics do not have such an advantage. For example, antibiotics against staphylococcus rather provoke candidiasis, violating the bacterial balance in the body than cure this disease. So can it still be better to take a closer look at bacteriophages, which in many ways are more useful and safer than other antibacterial agents?

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Is it safe to use bacteriophage treatment?

It is this issue that worries many readers who first encountered a new unusual kind of medication. Still, we are used to treating viruses as something hostile, causing a person various diseases, including life-threatening (for example, the same HIV). And it's scary to somehow run into your body viral particles at least out of fear that they can mutate, and it is not known what will turn out all this.

In fact, there is no danger. Bacteriophages act only against bacteria, but not cells of the body, which have a completely different structure. And with regard to bacteria, their action is strictly selective. Even if the virus mutates, the worst that can happen is the loss of the ability to penetrate into the bacterial cell, i. E. The bacteriophage becomes ineffective. After 2-3 days, such a virion simply perishes without harming anyone.

But it can still not risk and give preference to a thousand times proven antibiotics? Recall that the first antibiotic (penicillin) was described 12 years after the work with bacteriophages began. Those. Until the active production of antibiotics began, people were trying to treat it with bacteriophages.

Alas, at some stage of the development of effective bacteriophages have stopped, and antibiotics have come to the fore, the treatment course of which turned out to be 2 or more times less than phages. Probably, scientists bribed the speed of antibiotics, so that their negative impact on the human body receded into the background.

Unlike antibiotics, bacteriophages have virtually no contraindications to use. In the instructions to the preparations, only intolerance of the active or additional components of bacteriophages is noted, which is extremely rare. Not noted for antibacterial drugs of a viral nature and any side effects. Still, they have no influence on the human body, which can not be said about the bacteria inside.

An important positive property of bacteriophages can be considered the absence of harmful effects on the beneficial internal microflora of the body. Bacteriophages, unlike antibiotics, act strictly selectively, so that bacteria important to our health do not threaten anything. So, there is no need to spend not expensive probiotics, which are prescribed in parallel with antibiotics.

The disadvantage of bacteriophages is the obligatory analysis of the causative agent of the disease, which requires a lot of time. Doctors in this case prefer to prescribe antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action, especially if it is a question of widespread infectious pathologies. With bacteriophages this is not possible. Even in the case of complex drugs, knowledge in the face of the causative agent of the disease is required. These drugs are more calculated on the treatment of patients, in the body of which not one but several types of bacterial pathogens were detected.

The consequences of bacteriophage treatment, according to statistics, are only positive. Viruses are remarkably coping with their task, not having a negative impact on the organs and systems of the body, which we often see after antibiotic therapy.

There is no information about the complications caused by bacteriophages. Complications in the form of transition of the disease to a more severe form or further spread of the infection can be observed only if the pathogen was not analyzed and its sensitivity to bacteriophages was not determined. But a similar situation is observed in the case of ineffective antibiotics. So, it can not be considered a minus of bacteriophages.

Yes, some bacteriophages, like antibiotics of a narrow spectrum of action, are active only in relation to one type of bacteria, but if they are administered after resistance analysis, the result of treatment will be positive. In addition, resistance to bacteriophages in bacteria develops much more slowly than antibiotics.

Thus, bacteriophages can be considered not only as an effective, but also a sufficiently safe alternative to antibiotics. It is not for nothing that active development of new preparations based on phages resumed recently. Bacteriophages are used to treat not only bacterial, but also fungal diseases, as well as diseases of non-infectious nature, the cause of which is the same infection that hides at all, not where it is sought.

It is likely that soon the time will come when human safety during drug therapy will come to the fore, and treatment with bacteriophages will move antibiotic therapy where it is not necessary. And in severe cases, antibiotic therapy will receive a reliable and reliable assistant in the fight against bacterial infection in the face of bacteriophages.