Language
Country/Area
No result found
nan
In the early 20th century, the scientific community ushered in an important breakthrough: the discovery of bacteriophages. These special viruses specifically infect and destroy bacteria, thus becoming potential alternatives to antibiotics, especially today when antibiotics are gradually losing their effectiveness. The widespread application of bacteriophage therapy in the Soviet Union and throughout Eastern Europe has opened up a new therapeutic method and provided a valuable reference for global biomedical research.
Phiophage, derived from the Greek word "phagein", means "eating", indicating its unique characteristics.
The basic concepts and mechanism of action of phages
Phiophage is a type of virus that specifically invades bacteria, enters the cells through injecting its own genes, and then uses the bacteria's cellular mechanism to reproduce, ultimately leading to the death of cells. Its simple structure allows it to adapt to different environments quickly and has an effect on all kinds of bacteria. According to estimates, the number of bacteriophages on Earth is more than 10³¹, which is more than all other organisms combined.
Historical Review
The history of bacteriophages can be traced back to the late 19th century. In 1896, British bacterologist Hanbari Hanjin discovered that the water in the Ganges River in India has the effect of inhibiting cholera but cannot be removed by ordinary filtration methods. Later in 1915, British bacterologist Frederick Twater independently discovered the existence of small microorganisms, which was ultimately considered as the preliminary research result of bacteriophages. French microbiologist Felix de Jare officially published the existence of phages in 1917 and proposed the concept of "phage therapy".
"I was surprised by the discovery of the phage, an invisible microorganism that specializes in fighting pathogenic bacteria."
Bacteriophage therapy in the Soviet Union
At the 1920s, the medical community in Georgia, the Soviet Union began to emphasize the potential of bacteriophages in treating bacterial infections. Scientists here, such as George Eliava, have joined hands with De Jerre to conduct clinical application experiments on bacteriophages, which has promoted the widespread implementation of phage therapy in local and surrounding areas. In the face of war and scarcity of resources, bacteriophages have become the only "life-saving straw" in an antibiotic-free environment. This therapy was then used to treat Red Army soldiers and other infected patients.
The dilemma of phage therapy in the West
However, with the discovery and application of antibiotics, phage therapy has gradually been forgotten in the West. One of the reasons is the lack of understanding of its mechanism, coupled with the ideological barriers caused by the Cold War, which led to the lack of attention of the research results of the Soviet Union in the Western medical community. Until recent years, with the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance, the global focus has refocused on the potential value of bacteriophages.
Latest research progress
In recent years, many international research institutions have conducted a series of clinical trials on bacteriophages. For example, in a 2009 study, doctors used phages to treat infectious leg ulcers and achieved certain safety and effectiveness. With the development of technology, researchers have begun to try genetic engineering technology and have found that new phages can be created specifically for multidrug-resistant bacteria.
"The potential of phage therapy is still considerable, but the key to success lies in the design and use of suitable phages so that they can effectively deal with specific bacteria."
Future Outlook
Today, phage therapy is not limited to the medical field, but it has shown good prospects in food safety, environmental sanitation, and the application of biological weapons protection. Especially in the face of growing antibiotic resistance problems, phage therapy may become the key to solving this problem.
However, the future development of phage therapy still faces many challenges, including the standardization of technology, the safety and popularity of clinical use. Will this lead us into an era of medical care that is more dependent on natural viruses?
