Phage therapy: An alternative to antibiotics

Abstract

The emerging of multidrug-resistant bacteria represents nowadays a compelling concern and antibiotics are no longer a satisfactory answer to treat this kind of infections. This menace has made reconsider bacteriophages and their enzymatic products as valid alternatives to traditional drugs. In the present chapter, the efficacy of phage proteins is examined following in vitro and in vivo studies. Novel treatments should take into account the effectiveness of purified and engineered molecules by leveraging their biological features: depolymerases, virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases (VAPGHs), holins and endolysins, involved into phage entry and egress, are described given their prospective therapeutic roles.