Beyond Antibiotics: Therapeutic Strategies Utilizing Probiotics and Bacteriophages Against Drug-Resistant...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Drug Resistance

Background:

• Staphylococcus aureus is a major zoonotic and foodborne pathogen causing significant public health issues.
• Multidrug resistance in S. aureus necessitates novel therapeutic strategies beyond conventional antibiotics.
• Phage therapy and probiotic therapy show promise but are often studied independently.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate therapeutic challenges posed by drug-resistant S. aureus.
• To systematically compare the mechanisms, clinical translation, and efficacy of phage and probiotic therapies.
• To explore potential synergies between phages and probiotics for novel treatment regimens.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and comparative analysis of existing literature on S. aureus.
• Delineation of molecular inhibitory mechanisms of phages and probiotics.
• Assessment of clinical progress and industrial challenges for both therapeutic approaches.

Main Results:

• Phages and probiotics exhibit distinct antibacterial mechanisms and varying degrees of clinical progress.
• Each strategy has unique strengths and limitations in combating S. aureus infections.
• Potential synergistic interactions between phages and probiotics are identified.

Conclusions:

• Integrated analysis clarifies the comparative advantages and disadvantages of phage and probiotic therapies.
• The review provides a reference for developing new antibacterial technologies against S. aureus.
• Highlights the potential of personalized combinatorial therapies involving phages and probiotics to overcome resistance.