[phdkso]

I think that you might be interested in a new website
 just put up at www.bacteriophagetherapy.info [nofollow] - it is by the author
 of the book Viruses vs Superbugs just hitting the shelves - it should answer most of your questions

"It explains lay persons the ropes of phage therapy and has some goodies for the experts. I. e.. a long literature list and also a blog that I would like to develop into a clearing-house for news in the field."

I think all who are interested in phage therapy should buy a copy. Below is my review of the German version of the book which came out in 2003:

Book review: Viruses Vs. Superbugs A Solution to the Antibiotics Crisis? by Thomas Häusler to be released May 2006, Macmillan - http://www.macmillanscience.com/1403987645.htm [nofollow]

Since 2003 German readers have been privileged to be able to read Swiss author Häusler’s book, Gesund durch Viren - ein Ausweg aus der Antibiotika-Krise. Now the imminent release of an updated version of this book entitled, “Viruses vs Superbugs”, will allow a much larger audience to read his fascinating story describing an important epoch in science and medicine that started over one hundred years ago and is still unfolding. This review of the original German version draws on a review originally published in German by Hermann Feldmeier.

In 1969 the Surgeon General of the United States, William H. Stewart announced that the war against epidemics due to pathogens had been won. Seldom has medical dogma pronounced by the highest ranking medical officer of the USA been rendered absurd so rapidly. Actually infections due to pathogens did temporarily decrease during the 1960's; however, only to return twenty years later with increased and ever increasing vehemence. Today it is estimated that as many as 17 million deaths worldwide are caused by microbial infections annually. Nosocomial infections - hospital acquired infections - and multi-resistant pathogens, terms which until recently were familiar only to experts, are today topics of the public press and it is not surprising, because in Germany  alone 20,000 people die annually of nosocomial infections. The Canadian number of victims may be as high as 12,000 annually.

The prospects for the future are still gloomier. While it took approximately fifty years for 95 per cent of Staphylococcus aureus strains to become resistant to penicillin, today certain problem bacteria need only a few years to acquire resistance even to totally new classes of antibiotics. Additionally,  the pharmaceutical industry no longer has  many chemical substances in the research pipeline that will come to market as older antibiotics fail.  At the same time the need for effective antibiotics continues to increase as more patients must be protected against the threat of infections because of weakened immune systems or because they are organ transplant recipients.

New hope is promised by a therapy which is substantially older than penicillin - treatment with bacteriophages.  On August 2, 1919 their discoverer, the French Canadian Felix d’Herelle, administered a cloudy broth containing Shigella phages to a deathly-ill boy at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, curing him of dysentery. After an early worldwide boom this therapy today exists essentially only in some Eastern European countries, including  Georgia and Poland; however, is now again receiving attention in the West, even if many infection control specialists remain sceptical.

This paradigm shift is the background for an unusually well researched, outstandingly well written and scientifically based book by the Swiss journalist Thomas Häusler.  From the beginnings to the present the author, who is also trained in biochemistry, describes all aspects of a concept (bacteriophage therapy), whose therapeutic potential is not easily communicated during times of AIDS and SARS. Bacteriophages are actually viruses highly specialized to attack bacterial cells and they do no harm to animal cells. When a phage discovers a bacterium to which it possesses the correct key - that is, there are suitable receptors on the bacterial cell to which the phage can attach with its tentacle-like extensions - then the phage will inject its hereditary DNA into the bacteria cell.  Taking-over the bacterial cell’s biochemical apparatus hundreds of phage copies are then produced rupturing the bacterial cell as the victim dies, and the released daughter phages attack any remaining bacterial cells like a pack of hungry wolves.

The advantages of the therapy are obvious.  Bacteriophages are very specific parasites and contrary to antibiotics, do not damage the useful bacteria which live in and on the body. Phages are "intelligent" medicines:  They increase just where they are needed while antibiotics often do not even get to where they are needed to work. Once all phage-susceptible bacteria have been killed phages are eliminated from the body.

The high specificity, with which phages look for their bacterial victims, is at the same time also their therapeutic Achilles' heel.  Either the infection control specialist must have a cocktail containing very many different types of phages, or a phage specifically effective against the pathogen of each patient  must be custom-made through detailed microbiological analytical work.  Western regulatory authorities tend to loath recognizing such manually manufactured anti-infective agents as medicines which explains why currently phage therapy is routinely only available at phage therapy centers in Georgia, Europe and Poland.

For chronic infections on outside and internal body surfaces due to multi-resistant pathogens,  which can not be treated with current methods, phage therapy could become a kind miracle medicine if Western regulatory agencies could be convinced to focus regulatory oversight on the process of how phage preparations are isolated and purified rather than the end product.

Throughout the book, interviews with researchers are skilfully intertwined with descriptions of actual patient experiences. The middle part of the book is also outstanding in describing the trails and errors of phage therapy as practised between 1930 and 1990. Here journalist Häusler points out what influence political events have on the medical research - from the "Great Patriotic War" of Russia against Nazi Germany to the collapse of the Soviet Union and up to September 11, 2001. All this is augmented by a long list of footnotes, a detailed list of references and numerous instructive illustrations. Häusler has succeeded in  writing a book that can be read by high school students and yet is useful and of interest to medical and phage therapy experts - an amazing feat!  

Experts from USA, UK, Canada and Israel have praised the new English version as scientific journalism at its best and predict that readers will finish this book utterly convinced that phage therapy will provide alternative treatment for superbug infections even in countries not currently using this technology.

Because of the public health significance of the antibiotic-resistance superbug crisis this book deserves to be on the shelf of every private and public library. Sooner or later many of us will be faced with or know someone suffering from an infection not responding to antibiotics. At that time the stark choice is between death, amputation or an expensive trip to Georgia, Poland. The latter choice is available only  for individuals knowledgeable about phage therapy who have the financial resources and time left! Perhaps this book will bring the message about phage therapy to enough people so that politicians and health officials can no longer ignore the demand for this treatment and that phage therapy will be available as needed when antibiotics fail! For individuals who have the financial means it may be a worthwhile investment to send a copy of the book (or at least a copy of this review) to their elected representatives so they can not say that they did not know that phage therapy is a currently available medical technology when, as some experts prognosticate, superbugs will have caused us to return to the pre-antibiotic era and many medical procedures that routinely rely on the use of antibiotics will no longer be possible!

{ This book review is dedicated to the estimated 76,000 Canadians who have died as well as those who have suffered amputations or  just plainly suffered  from superbug infections since January 1, 2000 - dated May 1, 2006 }


phdkso

[phdkso]

Take a look at this announcement. It makes Canada the leader of a worldwide bureaucracy in reinventing phage therapy for treating superbug infections and is the most significant endorsement by a wide sector of health related agencies that this technology works and could cure many patients and save many healthcare dollars as well as free-up many hospital beds!

"I am very happy to provide you with an update on the status of the June 2006 "Novel Alternatives to Antibiotics Research Initiative".  All of our hard work has come to fruition, and the Initiative has recently been posted and can be viewed at: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/31302.html [nofollow]

I believe that Judith has informed you about this particular Initiative, and I thought that I would send you an update.  The more people know about this funding opportunity, the better.  We really can't rely on a "build it and they will come" attitude. It will be very important to get the word out to the right people in order for our plans to reach the level of success we desire.   If you know of anyone that might be interested applying to our Initiative, please pass on the information.  Thank you in advance for your help with this matter."

phdkso

[phdkso]

Viruses vs. Superbugs by Thomas Häusler, June 2006

On June 26 at about 7:00 p.m. I was finally able to get a much awaited copy of the book - Viruses vs. Superbugs - a solution to the antibiotic crisis? It turned out to be a fascinating and informative read and is highly recommended for anyone interested in the superbug crisis and the use of bacteriophages to mediate this crisis. I finished the book by June 29, 1:00 pm.

Two thoughts kept going through my mind: 1. Phage therapy research - too little, too late and tooo.... slow! And 2. Superbugs are everybody’s business because superbugs make everybody their business!

This book is a "must read" and I wish you happy reading!


phdkso

[phdkso]

Viruses vs. Superbugs by Thomas Häusler, June 2006

On June 26 at about 7:00 p.m. I was finally able to get a much awaited copy of the book - Viruses vs. Superbugs - a solution to the antibiotic crisis? It turned out to be a fascinating and informative read and is highly recommended for anyone interested in the superbug crisis and the use of bacteriophages to mediate this crisis. I finished the book by June 29, 1:00 pm.

Two thoughts kept going through my mind: 1. Phage therapy research - too little, too late and tooo.... slow! And 2. Superbugs are everybody’s business because superbugs make everybody their business!

This book is a "must read" and I wish you happy reading!


phdkso

[phdkso]

Well, I see phage therapy is again reality in the West and I was impressed that we have our priorities right - we will phage veggies not people. I thought this event should be celebrated with the worst kind of poetry ever written. Clearly the younger members can't afford to rise to such an occasion .... As I am TOO OLD TO DIE YOUNG ANYMORE I thought I would humbly jump into the breach:

Biiizzzarrooo..

When superbugs infected the tomatoes
regulators quickly looked at the data
and approved bacteriophages to save the tomatoes

( See  http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=4063128 [nofollow] )

When a hospital a superbug infection to a patient does presenten
at bacteriophage therapy s/he must not denken
because the regulators will genoten
that treating superbug infections of humans with phage therapy is strictly VERBOTEN!
After 100 years we have not had enough time for phage therapy re-inventen
even if many patients dead will abenden! - bizarre... sick....

(See Viruses vs. Superbugs, a solution to the antibiotic crisis?
http://www.bacteriophagetherapy.info [nofollow] ) UC



phdkso

[phdkso]

This should get you to the US FDA's Docket No. 2002F-0316 - Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption; Bacteriophage  Preparation:
 http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/02f-0316-nfr0001.pdf [nofollow]
 
In my opinion this is a very good evaluation of the bacteriophage cocktail for addition to ready-to-eat meats against Listeria monocytogenes and should be read by all.
 
What I am trying to get my mind around is that with all that knowledge within FDA, why would they not be taking the initiative to promote phage therapy for certain superbug infections, for example, bed sores, diabetic foot etc. Surely they can't claim that they did not know that phages are effective for these types of infections??
 
"Re-inventing phage therapy: Too little, too late, too slow, too dear, too bureaucratic, too much hubris, and too little compassion for too many people suffering and dying from superbug infections."

See: http://www.bacteriophagetherapy.info [nofollow]

phdkso

[phdkso]

New phage therapy article

There is an article by Kurt Kleiner The new age of the phage in the Toronto Star, Dec 3, 2006, D1

I did an interview and am quoted and have copies - I have not been able to display it; however, there is a link at the following Blog - good luck finding it!

http://sandwalk.blogspot.com/2006/12/bacteriophage-therapy.html [nofollow]

[phdkso]

Silicon Valley Business Journal, Jan 5, 07 by Sara Solovitch


Hi All: I had not previously seen the article on phage therapy entitled, "Making business from treatment Western medicine passed by" - see

http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2007/01/08/story4.html [nofollow]

Interesting as it gives specifics about actual treatment activities going on in Georgia!

[Mjhavok]

This subject is really interesting. I am studying Microbiology at Uni so it relates :-D.

[phdkso]

USDA allowance of Bacteriophage Treatment of Salmonella on Livestock

OmniLytics Announces USDA/FSIS Allowance of Bacteriophage Treatment of Salmonella on Livestock
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070329005872&newsLang=en [nofollow]

[phdkso]

If you are interested in phage therapy take a look at this website as it develops - http://www.amazingphage.info/ [nofollow]

[NakedScientist]

Here's an article by Thomas Hausler about the history and use of bacteriophages to combat bacterial infections:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/virusesvssuperbugs/

TNS

[phdkso]

Hi All:
 
I found the November issue of the Contamination Control Newsletter of considerable interest. As a microbiologist with knowledge of phage therapy and the academics of bullshit ( please see http://bullshitcitynorth.blogspot.com [nofollow] ), I noted  that CDC "guidelines do not rule out the use of organs from donors identified as high risk. The CDC recognizes .... that a patient's risk of dying without a transplant is often much higher than the possible risk of acquiring a disease." (From article entitled Four Transpalnt Patients Contact HIV From Donor Organs) --- Interesting, when we all know that FDA and other Western public health regulatory agencies won't use the same reasoning for phage therapy. The other thing worth noting is that organ transplants are of necessity small batches of medical products tailor-made for one or a small group of patients. Again one of the arguments often spouted against phage therapy is that regulatory agencies don't like small batches of tailor-made drugs or therapeutic products. Clearly such arguments are arbitrary, capricious bullshit or perhaps ueberbullshit if made by experts!
 
It might be worthy to note the following:  "staph infections, ... cause an estimated 95,000 severe illnesses annually in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently calculated that 19,000 Americans are dying of staph infections each year, about 2,000 more than die of AIDS" (from SHERRY JACOBSON / The Dallas Morning News,  November 30, 2007)
 
Humbug! I rest my case!

[Karen W.]

Well for a start there's the problem of tissue penetration. Phages are all well and good if they can reach the site of infection. But in the context of meningitis, for example, where the bugs are within the meninges, access becomes a problem. The antibiotic molecules used are extremely small and have excellent CNS penetration. In the context of a life threatening infection you do not mess around, nor allow the worry of some subsequent diarrhoea influence your choice of therapy.

I've seen a man with bacterial meningitis go from alert, conscious and able to share a joke, to barely rousable with a rash spreading in front of my eyes. Another 30 minutes and he would have been irretrievable. As it was a regular doses of intravenous broadspectrum antibiotics saved his life. And he didn't get any diarrhoea either !

I am a big supporter of phage therapy but everything has its place and it should not be used just because it is new.

(By the way, the inter-bacterial signalling you are referring to, cannnabinoid, is called "quorum sensing".)

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

Chris, Would Phage therapy be effective against Mycroplasma pnuemoniae bacteria?