Marine Bacteriophages as Next-Generation Therapeutics: Insights into Antimicrobial Potential and Application

Microbial infections are an escalating global health threat, driven by the alarming rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has made many conventional antibiotics increasingly ineffective and threatens to reverse decades of medical progress. The rapid emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria have severely limited treatment options, resulting in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden worldwide. In response to these challenges, phage therapy is regaining interest as a promising alternative. Bacteriophages, the most abundant biological entities, have remarkable specificity toward their bacterial hosts, enabling them to selectively eliminate pathogenic strains. Phage therapy presents several advantages over conventional antibiotics, which include minimal disruption to the microbiome and a slower rate of resistance development. Among the various sources of phages, the marine environment remains one of the least explored. Given their adaptation to saline conditions, high pressure, and variable nutrient levels, marine bacteriophages mostly exhibit enhanced environmental stability, broader host ranges, and distinct infection mechanisms, thus making them highly promising for therapeutic purposes. This review explores the growing therapeutic potential of marine bacteriophages by examining their ecological diversity, biological characteristics, infection dynamics, and practical applications in microbial disease control. It also deals with emerging strategies such as phage-antibiotic synergy, genetic engineering, and the use of phage-derived enzymes, alongside several challenges that must be addressed to enable clinical translation and regulatory approval. Advancing our understanding and application of marine phages presents a promising path in the global fight against AMR and the development of next-generation antimicrobial therapies.