Phage therapy: Innovative approaches for refractory pulmonary infections

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose a significant threat to human health worldwide. Phages, natural parasitic viruses of bacteria, have the capability to kill bacterial hosts, including those resistant to antibiotics. With traditional antimicrobials becoming increasingly ineffective and research into new antibiotics waning, bacteriophage therapies are gaining renewed attention. This review discusses recent progress and experiences with phage therapy in the treatment of pulmonary infections. Emerging phage therapy is effective in treating pulmonary infections, and no adverse effects have been observed in animal models and compassionate use cases in humans to date, which encompasses synergistic treatments that combine phages with antibiotics, the use of phage derivatives, the integration of phages with bioengineering, and the development of phage vaccines. Additionally, current limitations of phage therapy are introduced. Due to the lack of pharmacokinetic data in vivo, there is no unified standard for phage dosing regimen. However, in general, phage therapy has great potential in the treatment of pulmonary infections.