Fagi - cudowne leki?

Abstract

Bacteriophages (phages, bacterial viruses) are intracellular parasites that for replication need bacterial cells. The attachment of the phage to the surface of the bacterium is a crucial step in the phage infections. For this purpose phages can use e.g. parts of bacterial capsule, flagellum or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The observed increasing bacterial multidrug resistance, caused that the idea of the therapeutic application of phages is more real than ever before. Phage therapy can be based on the use of either natural or engineered bacteriophages. In the forties of the last century, phage therapy has been already utilized e.g. in the cure of the suppurating wounds, and infections of the upper respiratory tract. Bacteriophage therapy is believed to be potent not only in the treatment of plant, animal and human chronic bacterial infections, but also in controlling disease outbreaks. Another interesting aspect of phage application is the use of phage particles as enzyme inhibitors and as well as chemotherapeutic carrier; in production of vaccines and treatment of addictions. Moreover, phages are efficient in both killing the biofilm-forming bacteria and dissolving the organic biofilm matrix.