5 reasons to choose bactitophages over antibiotics

Antibiotics can be outwitted by bacteria, but phages evolve more quickly.(Image:Pexels)

In a time when antibiotic resistance looms, the search for safer and more effective means of battling infections has escalated. Meet Bactitophages—viruses that attack and outright kill bacteria. Though the idea may seem far-fetched, it’s a very real and promising solution that is gaining worldwide attention.

“Bactitophages are nature’s smart weapons”, says Dr Ravi Deshmukh, a microbiologist and an infectious disease expert in Pune. Without disturbing the body’s healthy flora, they kill bad bacteria selectively.”

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Here are five great reasons why Bactitophages are celebrated as a healthier and more specific substitution of antibiotics.

They Target Only Harmful Bacteria

Unlike antibiotics, which kill the good along with the bad in your body, Bactitophages are very precise. Each phage is engineered to target a specific strain of bad bacteria, without touching good microbes. “Imagine instead of a bomb you have a sniper — that is what Bactitophages are,” Dr Deshmukh says. This fine-tuned balance helps sustain gut health, immunity and microbial equilibrium as a whole—something antibiotics often disrupt.

 No Risk of Antibiotic Resistance

One of the most pressing threats to public health today is antibiotic resistance, when bacteria develop the ability to resist the action of medication. Phages, on the other hand, reproduce inside the harmful bacteria that they infiltrate, mutating as those bacteria mutate, which makes it next to impossible for bacteria to develop long-term resistance.

“Antibiotics can be outwitted by bacteria, but phages evolve more quickly. Thismakes them a moving target that bacteria cannot keep up with,” Dr Deshmukh says.

Less Side Effects Than Antibiotics

Antibiotics can also carry a host of side effects — including nausea, diarrhea, yeast infections and allergic reactions. Because Bactitophages are very specific and do not harm human cells or friendly bacteria, side effects are minimized drastically. “Phage therapy is a lot more forgiving to the body. Patients who are allergic to several antibiotics can usually tolerate phages without issue,” adds Dr Deshmukh. That makes it a safer choice for children, the elderly and people with certain pre-existing health conditions.

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Support Against Chronic and Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

Phage therapy is most commonly used for chronic wounds, urinary tract infections, and respiratory ailments that fail to respond to antibiotic treatment. In recent years, clinical trials, as well as confirmed accounts of success in the real world, have established the efficacy of phages in cases where antibiotics had failed. “Patients with cystic fibrosis or diabetic ulcers often face infections that don’t budge with antibiotics. In such cases, phages can literally be lifesaving,” explains Dr Deshmukh.

Eco-Friendly and Sustainable

Antibiotics pollute water and soil, cultivating a milieu conducive for microbe resistance. The bacteriophages are natural and biodegradable. After they waste theircourse, there will be nothing left to induce further injury.

This is a solution that works with nature, not against it, concludes Dr Deshmukh.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.