An Overview of Antiviral Properties of Bacteriophages with Emphasis on the Treatment of COVID-19 Infection.

Bacteriophages or phages are the most abundant organisms in the biosphere. Scientists considered phages an appropriate tool for understanding molecular biology, horizontal gene transfer vectors, stimulants of bacterial evolution, a source of diagnostic and genetic tools, and new therapeutic agents. Therefore, studying the biology of phages and their interactions with their hosts is crucial to gaining a deeper knowledge of biological systems. Numerous studies confirmed that bacteriophages are a genetic tool with high potential for treating infectious diseases, including bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Therefore, phages may be used as an appropriate therapeutic target against some viruses, such as COVID-19 infection. In this study, we describe the role of phages in modulating the host immune system, the production of specific antibodies against the COVID-19 virus by the host immune system, and the minimization of damage caused by the COVID-19 virus to the host. Also, the present study expresses our understanding of the prospect of phage therapy as an adjunctive therapy.

Phage therapeutics: from promises to practices and prospectives.

The rise in multi-drug resistant bacteria and the inability to develop novel antibacterial agents limits our arsenal against infectious diseases. Antibiotic resistance is a global issue requiring an immediate solution, including the development of new antibiotic molecules and other alternative modes of therapy. This article highlights the mechanism of bacteriophage treatment that makes it a real solution for multidrug-resistant infectious diseases. Several case reports identified phage therapy as a potential solution to the emerging challenge of multi-drug resistance. Bacteriophages, unlike antibiotics, have special features, such as host specificity and do not impact other commensals. A new outlook has also arisen with recent advancements in the understanding of phage immunobiology, where phages are repurposed against both bacterial and viral infections. Thus, the potential possibility of phages in COVID-19 patients with secondary bacterial infections has been briefly elucidated. However, significant obstacles that need to be addressed are to design better clinical studies that may contribute to the widespread use of bacteriophage therapy against multi-drug resistant pathogens. In conclusion, antibacterial agents can be used with bacteriophages, i.e. bacteriophage-antibiotic combination therapy, or they can be administered alone in cases when antibiotics are ineffective.Key points• AMR, a consequence of antibiotic generated menace globally, has led to the resurgence of phage therapy as an effective and sustainable solution without any side effects and high specificity against refractory MDR bacterial infections.• Bacteriophages have fewer adverse reactions and can thus be used as monotherapy as well as in conjunction with antibiotics.• In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, phage therapy may be a viable option.

Salvage Bacteriophage Therapy for a Chronic MRSA Prosthetic Joint Infection.

This is a case of a 72 year old male with a chronic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic joint infection. After the third intravenous dose of bacteriophage therapy, an unusual, reversible transaminitis prompted stoppage of bacteriophage therapy. Nevertheless, treatment was successful and the patient's severe chronic infection was eradicated.