Phage therapy of staphylococcal infections (including MRSA) may be less expensive than antibiotic treatment.
The current drama of antibiotic resistance has revived interest in phage therapy. In response to this challenge, a phage therapy center was established at our Institute in 2005 which accepts patients from Poland and abroad with antibiotic-resistant infections. We now present data showing that efficient phage therapy of staphylococcal infections is no longer a treatment of last resort (when all antibiotics fail), but allows for significant savings in the costs of healthcare.
Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
Ryszard
R
Miedzybrodzki
Wojciech
W
Fortuna
Beata
B
Weber-Dabrowska
Andrzej
A
Górski
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016527:Drug Costs; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D011044:Poland; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents