REDISCOVERING PHAGE THERAPY: PROMISING APPROACH FOR COMBATING ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a concerning public health threat which affects human and animal health as well as the environment. The rapid spread of bacterial strains resistant to clinically used antibacterials necessitates the exploration and utilization of different treatment options. Phage therapy, the use of bacterial viruses – bacteriophages – to treat bacterial infections, has gained renewed interest as an aid in address-ing AMR. As we outline in this editorial, the introduction and widespread use of phage therapy in human and veterinary medicine faces regulatory challenges. However, the recent adoption of new guidelines and other regulatory develop-ments in this area will facilitate the progress of phage therapy. Obujanje fagne terapije: obetaven pristop za boj s protimikrobno odpornostjo Protimikrobna odpornost (AMR) predstavlja resno grožnjo javnemu zdravju in vpliva tako na zdravje ljudi in živali kot na okolje. Hitro širjenje bakterijskih sevov, ki so odporni na kli-nično uporabljane protibakterijske učinkovine, zahteva razi-skovanje in uporabo drugačnih možnosti zdravljenja. Fagna terapija, uporaba bakterijskih virusov – bakteriofagov – za zdravljenje bakterijskih okužb, je pridobila ponovno zanima-nje kot pomoč pri reševanju problema protimikrobne odpor-nosti. Kot opisujemo v tem uvodniku, se uvedba in široka uporaba fagne terapije v humani in veterinarski medicini sooča z regulatornimi izzivi, vendar pa bo nedavno spreje-tje novih smernic in razvoj drugih regulatornih predpisov na tem področju olajšal napredek zdravljenja s fagi. Ključne besede: protimikrobna odpornost; bakteriofagi; zdravljenje s fagi