Tracking the phage trends: A comprehensive review of applications in therapy and food production

Abstract

In the present scenario, the challenge of emerging antimicrobial resistance is affecting human health globally. The increasing incidences of multidrug-resistant infections have become harder to treat, causing high morbidity, and mortality, and are posing extensive financial loss. Limited discovery of new antibiotic molecules has further complicated the situation and has forced researchers to think and explore alternatives to antibiotics. This has led to the resurgence of the bacteriophages as an effective alternative as they have a proven history in the Eastern world where lytic bacteriophages have been used since their first implementation over a century ago. To help researchers and clinicians towards strengthening bacteriophages as a more effective, safe, and economical therapeutic alternative, the present review provides an elaborate narrative about the important aspects of bacteriophages. It abridges the prerequisite essential requirements of phage therapy, the role of phage biobank, and the details of immune responses reported while using bacteriophages in the clinical trials/compassionate grounds by examining the up-to-date case reports and their effects on the human gut microbiome. This review also discusses the potential of bacteriophages as a biocontrol agent against food-borne diseases in the food industry and aquaculture, in addition to clinical therapy. It finishes with a discussion of the major challenges, as well as phage therapy and phage-mediated biocontrols future prospects.

Antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: navigating clinical impacts, current resistance trends, and innovations in breaking therapies

“…Despite the proven effectiveness of phages against bacterial infections in vitro and animal models, the number of clinical trials for phage therapy remains limited. This is primarily attributed to concerns about phage clearance after treatment, impurities in phage preparations, poor stability of phage preparations, and a lack of detailed knowledge about phage mechanisms of action and the potential for bacterial resistance to phages (Jaglan et al, 2022). Clinical trials examining the use of phages against P. aeruginosa infections in patients with venous leg ulcers, burn wounds, and otitis have reported no adverse effects.…”

Combating Antibiotic Resistance in a One Health Context: A Plethora of Frontiers

“…Bacteriophages (phages) are perhaps among the oldest and most prevalent biological entities that can infect and replicate within bacteria. As a result, they are crucial to maintaining the balance of an environment where bacteria are present (Jaglan et al, 2022). There is now curiosity in utilizing phage as a biocontrol weapon because of the numerous alluring properties these natural antibacterial agents possess (Sillankorva et al, 2012).…”

“…However, their usage for therapeutic purposes was discontinued in the Western world after the development of antibiotics. The lack of additional therapeutic options and the ineffectiveness of traditional antibiotics in treating and managing harmful bacterial strains have recently accelerated the revival of phage therapy (Jaglan et al, 2022). In previous study, Montso et al (2021) demonstrated that lytic phages effectively reduced E. coli O177 cells under artificial rumen fermentation conditions, and could therefore be used as a biocontrol strategy in live cattle to reduce meat and milk contamination in slaughterhouses and milking parlors, respectively.…”

“…In the absence of a regulatory framework from the European Union (EU), the European Court of Justice announced a court order in October 2019 permitting food producers to continue using phages to prevent Listeria on all RTE meals. European, American, Japanese, and other regulatory organizations acquired unified standards for the development of pharmaceuticals through the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) (Jaglan et al, 2022).…”

Role of Phage–Antibiotic Combinations in Reducing ESBL-Producing and Carbapenem-ResistantEscherichia coli

“…They can serve as antibiotic alternatives or be combined with antibiotics for synergistic effects (22). Clinical approaches for phage therapy have been reported in several countries, such as the United States, Georgia, Poland, and Russia (23, 24). Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of phage therapy for humans and animals has steadily increased in recent decades (25).…”