Bacteriophage treatment as an alternative therapy for multidrug-resistant bacteria
Abdulaziz Alqahtani
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria constitute one of the most serious global health threats. The increasing incidence rate of bacterial infections caused by MDR strains and the decrease in the number of newly developed antibiotics have prompted the scientific community to search for alternatives. One such alternative is the use of bacteriophages. In this review, we discuss the most critical MDR organisms, including <i>Acinetobacter baumanni</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, and methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>. The efficacy of phage therapy against MDR bacteria is also discussed. We included studies from the last 10 years that examined the efficacy of phage therapy against MDR pathogens. In addition, this review highlights the effect of bacteriophages against bacterial biofilms. The existing knowledge indicates that phage therapy is a potential therapeutic strategy against MDR bacteria. However, the adverse effects of phage therapy, such as toxicity, and the emergence of phage resistance have not yet been resolved.