Bacteriophage therapy as an alternative treatment for human infections. A comprehensive review.

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria. They were discovered around a century ago and have been used ever since for therapeutic purposes, particularly in former Soviet Union countries. Their use in Western countries was abandoned after the discovery and broad use of penicillin. The rising problem of antimicrobial resistance has revived interest in bacteriophage therapy. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of all aspects of natural phage therapy.