Exploiting bacteriophage as a potential new generation antibiotic alternative: hypothetical prototype and clinical progress

Abstract

Today, researchers have already made great progress in finding drug-based clinical solutions against microbial infections. It has become an essential part of a healthy human lifestyle. High antibiotic consumption has accelerated antibiotic resistance in microbial species (multi-drug-resistant microbial strains, like Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, have already been reported). Loss of microflora is also associated with the heavy and unnecessary use of drugs. This review presents bacteriophage as an alternative to antibiotics. The supporting bacteriophage characteristics include bacteriophage lytic mode of replication, specificity towards its host, bacteriophage mass production, and bacteriophage genetic modification (BRED and CRISPR) to make it capable of degrading microbial biofilm. The author has also tried to inculcate previous work that has already been done with bacteriophages for some clinical therapies. Potential administration routes (oral, intravenous, and intraoperative) used in clinical therapies are discussed.

Keywords

multidrug-resistant / bacteriophage / lytic cycle / biofilm / bacteriophage therapy / BRED (bacteriophage recombineering of electroporated DNA)

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