Phages and phage therapy: past, present and future

Abstract

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. Since their discovery in the last century, they have proved their effectiveness in biocontrol of bacteria. In this mini-review, we provide a brief history of bacteriophages, their life cycle and classification. We also discuss the potential use of bacteriophage in clinical therapy as an alternative to antibiotics, comparing their advantages and disadvantages.

Keywords

• Bacteriophages
• phage therapy
• antibiotics