The Virus that Cures
The following documentary, entitled The Virus that Cures, was produced in 1997 by the BBC for the Horizon series. The 49-minute video illustrates some aspects related to phage therapy, or the use of bacteriophages (i.e., bacterial viruses) to treat bacterial infections. Phage therapy was practiced in the Soviet Union and it is still in use in some countries such as Georgia. The video allows us to listen to researchers from the Institute of Bacteriophage at Tbilisi, Georgia (full name: George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology). It is frustrating to see that this technology is still awaiting a definite approval, or disapproval, by Western scientists and health regulatory agencies. Let's see if the (few) ongoing clinical trials will settle the question and, hopefully, powerful phage therapies will soon arrive to help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
A collection of links related to phage therapy:
