Perspectives of the use of bacteriophages in agriculture, food and processing industries

Abstract

The need to reduce excessive, and often not rational, use of antibiotics in bacteriosis treatment and prevention is acknowledged unanimously by representatives of medicine and veterinary medicine. One of the most important tasks for relevant research and productive organizations is finding the alternative treatments for bacterial infections in view of the growing trend of the increasing of antibiotic resistance. Against this background, limiting the use of antibiotics and developing new antibacterial agents is a priority. This review reflects the current view of specialized departments, government and public structures, business community on the field of application of antibacterial agents, including on the basis of bacteriophages. The work explains the feasibility of minimizing and rationalizing the use of antibiotics. There is also described the history of the researches about bacteriophages, their properties, peculiarities of application and examples of the use of bacteriophages in medicine and veterinary medicine, as well as in food and processing industries. Bacteriophages are a complete antibacterial agent which can be used not only in the direction of treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, but also in the field of biodesinfection, biodecontamination and bioconservation.