Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
11:31
'Bioluminescent' Reporter Phage for the Detection of Category A Bacterial Pathogens
Published on: July 8, 2011
Can phage effectively treat multidrug-resistant plague?
Andrey A Filippov1, Kirill V Sergueev, Mikeljon P Nikolich
1Bacterial Diseases Branch; Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Silver Spring, MD USA.
Bacteriophage
|January 4, 2013
Summary
Bacteriophage therapy shows promise for treating plague, a significant public health threat. Recent studies demonstrate plague bacteriophages are stable, safe, and offer partial protection in mice, suggesting potential as an antibiotic alternative.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Drug-resistant plague poses a high-consequence threat, necessitating antibiotic alternatives.
- Historical phage therapy attempts for plague were largely unsuccessful due to limited understanding and poor design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential of bacteriophage therapy against plague.
- To discuss recent findings and prospects for phage therapy in light of historical challenges.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical data and recent publications on plague bacteriophages.
- Analysis of unpublished data regarding phage stability, safety, and efficacy in vivo.
- Reflection on plague bacteriophage characteristics and therapeutic potential.
Main Results:
- Plague diagnostic bacteriophages exhibit remarkable stability and safety.
- In vivo propagation and partial protection against plague in mice were observed after phage injection.
- Recent data supports the viability of phage therapy for plague.
Conclusions:
- Bacteriophage therapy presents a promising alternative to antibiotics for combating plague.
- Further research and development are warranted to fully realize the potential of phage therapy against this deadly disease.
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