Virus eats bacteria – a ray of hope for many patients around the world

Job virus SARS-CoV-2 causing the disease COVID-19 causing millions of deaths around the world further emphasizes the fact that the virus is the enemy of humanity. So it sounds strange to say that viruses can also save lives. This has been realized by scientists in Georgia by “training” a friendly virus capable of eating bacteriaalso known as bacteriophages.

On the lab plate, a battle is going on between bacteria antibiotic resistance and a friendly virus called a bacteriophage. Even a seemingly innocuous infection can kill a patient if the pathogen has developed resistance to antibiotics, say scientists. Therefore, bacteria-eating viruses are considered an effective weapon in the battle on this medical front.

Ms. Mzia Kutateladze – Director of the Eliava Bacteriology Institute, Georgia said: “A phage is a virus that only attacks bacteria, each phage will attack a certain bacteria, for example phage kills E. Coli bacteria. causing food poisoning, for example.

Bacteriophages can be found anywhere bacteria exist. Phage therapy is one of the most important alternatives to antibiotics, although not a complete replacement. The tiny nation of Georgia has pioneered this groundbreaking approach to solving the nightmare of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. From this laboratory, phages were once sent to Belgium to treat a patient infected with necrotic bacteria, after 3 months the patient recovered.

“Our expertise is in training phages with a number of laboratory maneuvers, so that they can kill more and more harmful bacteria,” said Mzia Kutateladze.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, with the virus that eats bacteria, Georgian scientists have brought a ray of hope to many patients around the world.

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