How to Tackle Bacteriophages: The Review of Approaches with Mechanistic Insight
Monika Karczewska, Patryk Strzelecki, Agnieszka Szalewska-Pałasz, Dariusz Nowicki
Abstract
Bacteriophage-based applications have a renaissance today, increasingly marking their use in industry, medicine, food processing, biotechnology, and more. However, phages are considered resistant to various harsh environmental conditions; besides, they are characterized by high intra-group variability. Phage-related contaminations may therefore pose new challenges in the future due to the wider use of phages in industry and health care. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the current knowledge of bacteriophage disinfection methods, as well as highlight new technologies and approaches. We discuss the need for systematic solutions to improve bacteriophage control, taking into account their structural and environmental diversity.