Harnessing Phage Viruses for Safe Treatment of Deadly Infections.

Phage viruses, which infect microorganisms such as bacteria and archaea, could be harnessed as a treatment for deadly, drug-resistant bacterial infections. Researchers are already combing through phages collected around the world for the best medical candidates. However, phage therapy carries risks, and little is known about how phages could affect the microbial ecosystems in our bodies as they take up residence and swap genes with their neighbors.