Bacteriophages

The Australian has an article about bacteriophages, viruses harmless to humans that prey upon bacteria. These phages are considered by some to be the solution to the problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria, a major concern among health professionals. Bacteriophages were discovered in the early 20th Century and though their value was quickly apparent development of treatments using them fell to the wayside as antibiotics became more widely used.Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pose a serious risk as there is no treatment for an infection by these bacteria. There may be a danger that more bacterial strains could become antibiotic resistant and this could be disastrous. Bacteria sinus infections are currently treated with antibiotics but if the bacteria that cause sinus infections are resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them, then these infections could worsen and spread. Bacteriophage research may provide an alternative to antibiotics that could help end the potential danger posed by bacteria adapting resistances to antibiotics.Not all sinus infections are bacterial. Sinus infections can be cause by viruses and foreign objects in the sinuses. A doctor is the best person to make a determination of the cause of a sinus infection and the treatment of that infection. If you have a sinus infection and questions about treatment, contact our office.