Intrahospital bacteria are afraid of viruses
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
A pair of bacteriophage viruses proved effective in combating one of the most dangerous microbes, resistant to antibiotics.
It is not necessary to have a medical education to understand how dangerous an infection that is resistant to antibiotics can become. For example, a person fell ill with an infectious disease - the doctor prescribes a strong antibiotic, but he does not work. Assigns another - even stronger - and he again does not work. Therefore, resistant microorganisms are really a huge problem in medicine. To such resistant microbes carry and intrahospital infection.
The global increase in cases of intrahospital infection is due precisely to the development of resistance to antibiotics. Thus, one of the most dangerous microbes is acinetobacterium baumannii. If this microorganism is found in the intensive care units or purulent surgery, then it can provoke a lot of complications in patients - examples of this are the development of patients with hospital pneumonia and a cerebral abscess. Acetetobacteria ignores the overwhelming number of antibiotics, perfectly tolerates dryness, treatment with UFO or disinfectant solutions.
In most cases, these microorganisms are trying to fight using the newest antibiotics, which the bacteria still "do not know in person." A new drug is something that the bacterium has not yet encountered, so it is not capable of counteracting it. But you can do otherwise.
Microbes can be attacked by a specific group of viruses, which are called "bacteriophages". Scientists have pondered: whether it is possible to direct these viruses against antibiotic-resistant bacteria?
This idea was voiced long ago - even during the discovery of bacteriophages. However, then the experiment was postponed, in view of the appearance of antibiotics. To date, scientists have again recalled the possibility of using specific viruses.
Not all viruses are suitable for such a role. First of all, the bacteriophage should have selectivity for a specific microbe. The second condition is that the virus must hit the maximum possible number of microbial cells. And the third condition is that the virus must remain "combat-ready" even within the microbial structure.
Specialists representing several Russian institutes and research centers identified a couple of suitable bacteriophages that can be used to combat intrahospital infection. They were viruses belonging to the family Podoviridae.
The effect of the viruses was tested on 100 microbial samples. It was found that the bacteriophages are instantly "glued" to the microbial cell and quickly begin to destroy it. In addition, their work is strictly selective: they do not attack cells of a healthy intestinal flora.
Scientists are sure that the use of such technology is really promising. It may very well be that soon such a technique will leave the laboratory and become firmly established in the general clinical practice.
The work of scientists is described in detail by the journal Viruses.
[