Bacteriophage application and biological safety (or how should i train my dog not to bite me)

Abstract

Following extended antibiotic resistance as a result of bacterial evolution under superfluous antibiotic stress (e.g. hospital, sewage system, agriculture), bacteriophages seem to be the next defense generation against bacterial pathogens in human health, veterinary, agriculture and environmental issues and many other areas. Bacteriophages have several obvious advantages over antibiotics: they multiply, are highly specific and highly diverse, have a continuous genetic evolution, do not interfere with eukaryotic cells (at least up to our present knowledge) and are highly efficient were antibiotics failed, e.g. diabetic foot ulcer or acute infection. The intensive research on bacteriophages revealed new molecular biology processes (e.g. CRISPR-Cas) that are presently implemented in many areas. The application of bacteriophages on foodborne pathogens was shown to be very effective in infection prevention. In our laboratory, we showed that bacteriophages can prevent biofilm development on filtration membranes (UF) and well screens in combination with minimal chemical intervention. Those scientists who have uncertainty on bacteriophage unrestricted application are also right from the point of view of the safety facet of biological treatment. However, it should be stated that processes like resistance and reversion occur continuously in nature in the vast biosphere without our intervention, we only speed up the process under a concentrated milieu. Further studies oriented to safety should be carried out continuously under the metagenomic umbrella to prevent antibiotics outcome.