FN - Phages and Health

Question 1

Phages vs Antibiotics (5)

Answer 1

Phages

• Very specific
• Replicate at the site of infection
• No side effects
• Development of resistance
• Finding new phages is fast

Antibiotics

• Not specifc
• Not concentrated at the site of infection
• Multiple side effects
• Development of resistance
• Developing new antibiotic is slow

Question 2

What type of phages are used in phage therapy?

Answer 2

Strictly virulent phages to avoid potential transfer of virulence genes through transduction

Question 3

What are the steps in phage therapy for diabetic foot? (3)

Answer 3

1. Swab wound to identify pathogenic bacteria
2. Screen phage collection to find lytic phages
3. Apply sterile phage preparation to wound.

Treatment course takes about a week

Question 4

What are the 3 main steps involved in phage therapy?

Answer 4

Step 1.
Screen phage collection for good phage candidates

Step 2.
Set up the best combinaton of phages for therapy

Step 3.
Explore the synergistic effect of phages and antibiotics

Question 5

What do you think defines a good phage candidate? (4)

Answer 5

• Infects the strain of interest
• Infects efficiently
• Does not integrate the bacterial chromosome
• Reduced development of resistance

Question 6

How do we screen the phage collection? (3)

Answer 6

1. Add 180 μl LB and 10 μl bacteria
2. Add 10 μl of each phage (10 phages + control)
3. Measure OD every 10 min for 12h

Question 7

What else should we consider when combining phages? (2)

Answer 7

• Work well together
• Use different receptors

Question 8

Can phages increase bacteria’s susceptibility to antibiotics? (2)

Answer 8

Disrupting bacterial defenses: Phages can damage the cell wall or other structures of bacteria, making it easier for antibiotics to enter and kill the bacteria

Evolutionary trade-off: When bacteria develop resistance to phages, it can sometimes come at the cost of making them more vulnerable to antibiotics.