title: Different approaches for using bacteriophages against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
abstract: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is an emerging threat requiring urgent solutions. Ever since their discovery, lytic bacteriophages have been suggested as therapeutic agents, but their application faces various obstacles: sequestration of the phage by the spleen and liver, antibodies against the phage, narrow host range, poor accessibility to the infected tissue, and bacterial resistance. Variations on bacteriophage use have been suggested, such as temperate phages as gene-delivery vehicles into pathogens. This approach, which is proposed to sensitize pathogens residing on hospital surfaces and medical personnel's skin, and its prospects are described in this addendum. Furthermore, phage-encoded products have been proposed as weapons against antibiotic resistance in bacteria. We describe a new phage protein which was identified during basic research into T7 bacteriophages. This protein may serendipitously prove useful for treating antibiotic-resistant pathogens. We believe that further basic research will lead to novel strategies in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology; Sackler School of Medicine; Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ido
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yosef
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology; Sackler School of Medicine; Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology; Sackler School of Medicine; Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Shahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molshanski-Mor
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology; Sackler School of Medicine; Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Rotem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Edgar
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology; Sackler School of Medicine; Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Udi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Qimron
keywords: bacterial division; host takeover; lysin; sensitizing gene; temperate bacteriophage