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Bacteriophages, types and purpose. Bacteriophage treatment. Bacteriophages. Types and indications for use of biological products

The only effective alternative to the use of antibiotics from pathogenic bacteria today is phages or bacteriophages. They are specific viruses that selectively infect different types of microbes. Medicine knows several groups into which bacteriophages are divided - the types and purpose of these microorganisms serve as the basis for the generally accepted classification.

What are bacteriophages?

There are 19 families of the viruses in question. They differ in the type of nucleic acid (RNA or DNA), genome structure and form.

In medical practice, bacteriophages are classified according to the rate of pathogenic bacteria damage:

Virulent. The virus, getting into the cells of microbes, begins to multiply rapidly and actively, almost instantly leads to the death of bacteria (lytic effect).
Moderate. Bacteriophages slowly and only partially destroy the structure of pathogens, but cause irreversible changes in them that are transmitted to the next generations of microbes (lysogenic effect).

Today, the described types of viruses are used as an alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of various bacterial infections. Among their advantages, the following advantages should be noted:

Convenient release form. Bacteriophages are produced in tablets and in the form of a solution for oral administration.
Fewer side effects. Unlike antibiotics, bacteriophages are less likely to cause allergic manifestations, do not produce secondary negative effects on the body.
Lack of microbial resistance. It is more difficult for bacteria to adapt to viruses, and to complex effects it is almost impossible.

At the same time there are some disadvantages:

Types of bacteriophages and their use

Given the specificity of the described viruses, in medicine they prefer to use polyvalent and complex bacteriophages, containing several varieties of these microorganisms.

Good afternoon, dear readers! Many of us have undergone antibiotic therapy at least once in our lives. However, in most cases it was about antibiotics. Not everyone had to deal with bacteriophages. At the same time, doctors tend to say that today these medicines can be a good alternative. Bacteriophages, types and purpose of these unique in nature drugs we consider.

History of

The history of bacteriophages has about 100 years. In 1915-1917, their discovery took place almost simultaneously in France, England and Russia, where three biologists, independently of each other, observed the phenomenon of lysis of bacteria.

After studying the properties of the microscopic virus, scientist Felix D "Erell suggested that they play a large role in the process of recovery of the body affected by a bacterial infection. Since then, increased attention has been paid to phages, and their rapid study has begun.

Phage structure

Phages are not a product of genetic engineering. They are found in nature, in those places where there are bacteria susceptible to them. The structure of the virus resembles a tadpole: it has a tail and a head. In the latter laid genetic material. The phage contains the protein coat and nucleic acids that make up the DNA.

The characteristics of each bacteriophage depend on which bacteria it is directed against. There have been cases in which viruses cannot even affect bacteria of their class, since some individuals are resistant to bacteriophages. To be treated with these medicines, you need to be sure of the diagnosis: the viruses do not act on other bacteria and microorganisms.

How to use?

Quite often, phages are used in complex antibacterial therapy. They are favored if there is no deadly threat to the patient. Unlike antibiotics, “sweeping” everything in its path, medications with miniviruses do not kill the beneficial microflora, they act selectively and are safely removed from the body.

Their compatibility with any drugs is 100%, as they do not react with other chemicals and cause no complications. The only exception is medication, including bacteria, for example, Linex, Acipol, Bifidum-bacterin.

However, within the framework of emergency treatment, phages cannot yet replace antibiotics, since it is not always possible to determine the causative agent. Many phages can be given to children even in infancy, when most antibiotics are banned. In pediatric therapy, medications based on viral agents are more preferable, since they have fewer side effects.

Types of bacteriophages

In modern medicine, bacteriophages are used in many areas:

The choice of a particular drug depends on the disease and its pathogen.

Each phage can be directed only against a specific bacterium, and there is a territorial selectivity. This means that bacteria and viruses are mutable depending on the territory in which they are located.

Phage classification is carried out by pathogens. In the presence of one infection use:

Staphylococcal bacteriophage

It acts only against staphylococcus, covering its various types, including golden.

Intesty

Effective against several types of bacteria: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus.

Polyvalent

It acts against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiell, Proteus.

Streptococcal

It acts exclusively with streptococcal monoinfection.

Koliproteyny

It is used in case of combined infections, namely: enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus.

Salmonella

Bacteriophage against salmonella.

Pseudomuscular

It acts effectively against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

If

Acts against E. coli. There is coliprotein bacteriophage, effective against proteev.

It is believed that bacteriophages that act against a single infection are more effective. Medicines that combine several types of viruses help much less. Bacteriophages are available both in liquid form and tablets. If we are talking about the treatment of children, then the liquid form of release is preferable.

Bacteriophage treatment

Prescribing medication should be carried out only by a doctor only after tests to identify a specific infection. Independent use at home can be ineffective, since without a special study, it is impossible to identify the pathogen and determine its sensitivity to phages.

The treatment scheme for each individual infection is developed for the client individually. Most often, these medicines are used to treat intestinal dysbiosis. The course of treatment in this case is about 5 days, but in some cases it can be extended to 15 days. For greater efficiency, the courses are repeated 2-3 times.

Here is an example of one of these courses of treatment for staphylococcal infection:

infants until six months - 5 ml;
from six months to a year - 10 ml;
from one to three years give 15 ml;
from three to eight years - 20 ml;
after eight years - 30 ml.

Infants can be given phages in three ways:

orally (by mouth);
in the form of an enema;
drops in the nose.

At the age of six months, the third option is no longer possible, so they are prescribed either as an enema, or orally. At the same time, the dosage for enema is on average twice as large as the volume prescribed for oral intake.

In relation to children in pediatrics, there are various reviews of physicians regarding the use of bacteriophages. Some argue that miniviruses are absolutely safe, so for the time being, in the old fashion, phages are also prescribed for babies.

In 2016, there was an update. Chief pediatric gastroenterologist Zakharova I.N. stated that bacteriophage therapy can lead to cancer. Viruses are inserted into the body’s gene system and can destroy it.

It is difficult to say how true this statement is, but the status of the applicant speaks volumes. Bacteriophages have not yet been fully studied, and they have become relatively recently used for therapy. Long-term observations of their action on individual generations yet.

Dear readers, we have examined with you the effect of bacteriophages on infections and the human body. If you liked the article, recommend it to your friends in the social. networks. The information is given for review.

Bacteriophages are highly effective immunobiological preparations of antibacterial action. Used for the treatment and prevention of acute intestinal infections and purulent-inflammatory diseases. Indispensable for the resistance of pathogens to antibiotics. They are also used in the treatment of intestinal dysbacteriosis in combination with drugs that normalize the intestinal microflora.

Bacteriophage and - live agents, bacteria viruses, widely distributed in nature. In medicine, they use the ability of bacteriophages to destroy cells of pathogenic microorganisms. Lytic action of bacteriophages is strictly specific. In the production of phage preparations, the specificity of bacteriophages is taken into account and polyvalent phage preparations are prepared - mixtures of bacteriophages active against various types of pathogens. When using bacteriophages do not violate the normal human biocenosis, they can be used in combination therapy with other drugs. Bacteriophages are manufactured using natural raw materials and can be recommended for both adults and children.

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Can bacteriophages become an alternative to antibiotics?

Although bacteriophages were discovered before antibiotics, they were not widely used in medical practice in those years. Mostly they were used to determine the contamination of the studied environment (for example, water bodies) by certain colonies of bacteria and to prevent epidemics.

Today, microbiology and medicine are considering global use of bacteriophage in the treatment of bacterial infections, but this trend is complicated by several factors. First, not all bacteria, even those suitable for the type of bacteriophage, perish (as mentioned above - some individuals are resistant). Secondly, the effect of bacteriophage on bacteria is highly specialized, that is, bacteriophages derived for one territorial segment do not necessarily work in another territorial segment, since there the bacterial strains of the same species may differ. Third, the appropriate phages were not found for all bacteria.

In this sense, antibiotics have a better position. They are not so selective and can have a detrimental effect on broad spectra of bacterial strains. But there is another, negative side to this success. Bacteria tend to acquire resistance (resistance) to antibiotics over time, and they are not developed against bacteriophages. In addition, bacteriophages only have a destructive effect on a certain type of bacteria, under which they are derived, and antibiotics kill all living things in their path, including bacteria that are vital to the human body.

Compared with antibiotics, bacteriophages have many advantages:

it is a natural means to fight bacteria
do not cause side effects
compatible with all medications
are not allergens
not addictive
acting deadly on a certain type of bacteria, leave all other bacteria alive and thus do not cause dysbiosis

In order for phagotherapy to take a definite place in the fight against infections and to be effective, all these contradictory capabilities of the two agents (bacteriophages and antibiotics) must be taken into account in constructing tactics for the treatment of bacterial infections.

The physician needs to ask the drug of first choice to achieve successful results in the treatment of various bacterial infections, to take into account the fact that, if we are talking about an acutely infectious process, and there is no danger to the patient, then you can choose bacteriophages. Particularly successful is their use as an adjunct to antibacterial drugs.

In modern medical practice, bacteriophages are referred to as immunobiological preparations. They are produced in liquid form, in the form of tablets and sprays. Methods of use - application, introduction to the cavity, rectally and orally. The possible uses of bacteriophages in the medical industry are more than extensive. This is gastroenterology, urology, gynecology, otolaryngology, pulmonology, surgery.

Found bacteriophages to the following bacteria: Pseudomonas, hemorrhagic septicemia, dysentery, Klebsiel, salmoneline, staphylococcal, streptococcus, Coli, typhoid, plague, cholera, as well as bacteria of the genus Psevdomonad, Proteus, Esherichia and others. Total found about a hundred species of phages.

Before including bacteriophages in the course of treatment, the doctor must be able to select and combine them, depending on the strains of bacteria found during the examination.

For example, we list some options for the selection of phages in certain infections.

When monoinfections:

E. coli (bacteriophages: Koliproteyny, Kolya, Polyobacteria Pyobacteriophage, Combined Pyobacteriophage, Enteri-bacteriophage and their forms in tablets);
Enterococcus (Intesti bacteriophage);
Staphylococcus (bacteriophage: Staphylococcal, Intesti, Polyvalent pyobacteriophage, Pyobacteriophage combined and their forms in tablets);
Streptococcus (bacteriophage: Streptococcal liquid, Pyobacteriophage combined liquid, Pyopolyphage tablets);
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (bacteriophages: Pseudomonas aeruginoza liquid, Pyobacteriophage combined liquid, Pyobacteriophage polyvalent purified liquid, Pyoliphage in tablets, Intesti);
Klebsiella pneumonia (bacteriophages: Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsielle polyvalent, Pyobacteriophage polyvalent purified liquid);
Proteus Mirabilis and Vulgaris (bacteriophages: Proteus liquid, Kolproteyny liquid, Koliproteofag in tablets, Pyobacteriophage combined liquid, Pyobacteriophage polyvalent purified liquid, Pyopolyphage in tablets, Intesty).

For co-infections:

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Mirabilis (Bacteriophage coliprotein liquid, Koliproteofag tablets);
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Mirabilis, Staphylococcus, Enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Intesty is a liquid bacteriophage);
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Mirabilis, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pyobacteriophage combined liquid, Pyopolyphage tablets).