Bacteriophage Project

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Bacteriophages can be found anywhere bacteria are present; these viruses specialize in hunting down and killing their prey with precision. As depicted in Figure 2, a virus lands on an unsuspecting bacterium and begins injecting its own DNA into the victim's system. The DNA then alters the bacterium to start producing more phages, which continue to multiply until the internal pressure becomes too great and the bacteria explodes, releasing all the phages into the surrounding area to perpetuate the cycle. A fascinating aspect of bacteriophages is their ability to be engineered to target specific bacteria. For years, humans have relied on antibiotics to combat harmful bacteria; however, as we increasingly use these medications, bacteria develop immunity, resulting in super-bacteria that even the strongest antibiotics cannot effectively counteract. The idea behind phages is that they can be designed to hunt down and eliminate the specific bacteria causing harm. It may seem likely that bacteria would develop an immunity to phages as well, but the intriguing part is that bacteria cannot simultaneously resist both phages and antibiotics. When the resistance to one increases, it concurrently decreases for the other. A study has already been conducted on a human patient suffering from a severe bacterium infection; they were administered a combination of antibiotics and bacteriophages, and the bacteria were defeated in a remarkably short period. An expanded investigation into bacteriophages could lead to the development of medicine capable of combating bacteria that would otherwise result in severe pain or even death. The concept that these tiny virus-like entities can inflict such damage to protect us is truly awe-inspiring.