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Updated: May 24, 2026
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Bacteriophage Effectiveness for Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Evaluated via High-Throughput Settings
Published on: August 19, 2021
Pros and cons of phage therapy
Catherine Loc-Carrillo1, Stephen T Abedon
1Department of Orthopaedics; The University of Utah; Salt Lake City, UT USA.
Bacteriophage
|February 16, 2012
Summary
Phage therapy, using bacterial viruses to fight bacteria, offers numerous advantages including effectiveness against resistant strains and minimal disruption to normal flora. Potential drawbacks are generally minor, making it a promising antibacterial approach.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Phage therapy utilizes bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) to combat bacterial infections.
- Existing literature presents various pros and cons of phage therapy.
- A comprehensive discussion of these aspects is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To consolidate and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of phage therapy in a single location.
- To provide a balanced overview of phage therapy's potential and limitations.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and commentary.
- Analysis of reported benefits and drawbacks of bacteriophage use.
Main Results:
- Phages are bactericidal, self-replicating, and effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- They minimally disrupt host flora and can disrupt biofilms.
- Potential advantages include ease of discovery and low toxicity.
- Convenience factors like autonomous transfer in veterinary applications are noted.
- Disadvantages are generally considered minor.
Conclusions:
- Phage therapy presents a promising antibacterial strategy with significant advantages.
- The identified disadvantages are relatively minor and do not outweigh the therapeutic potential.
- Further exploration and application of phage therapy are warranted.
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