Public aware of and accept use of bacteria-killing viruses as alternative to antibiotics, study shows
The public are in favour of the development of bacteria-killing viruses as an alternative to antibiotics – and more efforts to educate will make them significantly more likely to use the treatment, a new study shows.
The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis means previously treatable infections can kill. This has revitalised the development of antibiotic alternatives, such as phage therapy, which was first explored over a century ago but abandoned in many countries in favour of antibiotics.
The study shows public acceptance of phage therapy is already moderately high, and priming people to think about novel medicines and antibiotic resistance significantly increases their likelihood of using it.
There is a higher acceptance of phage therapy when described without using perceived harsh words, such as “kill” and “virus” but instead “natural bacterial predator”.
Those who took part in the survey had a high awareness of antibiotic resistance – 92 per cent had heard of antibiotic resistance, but only 13 per cent reported that they had heard about phage therapy prior to the survey.
Success and side effect rate, treatment duration, and where the medicine has been approved for use, influenced their treatment preferences.
The study was conducted by Sophie McCammon, Kirils Makarovs, Susan Banducci and Vicki Gold from the University of Exeter.
Dr Banducci said: “While phage therapy remains poorly understood by the UK public our research suggests there is extensive acceptance and support for its development. Exposure to only very limited information about antibiotic resistance and alternative treatments to antibiotics greatly increases the public acceptance of phage therapy.”
Dr Gold said: “Those involved in the research wanted to know more about phage therapy and were inspired to research this topic after completing our survey. Exposure to only a very limited amount of information about phage therapy significantly increases acceptance.”
Researchers held a workshop with experts and a review of phage research. They also fielded a survey assessing the UK public’s acceptance, opinions and preferences regarding phage therapy. A total of 787 people completed the survey, distributed in December 2021.
One group was given two scenarios; in the first they presented with a minor infection, and in the second they presented with an infection that did not respond well to antibiotics for three months. In each scenario, the group ranked the selected attributes based on their importance in deciding whether to accept a treatment or not.
Participants were randomly assigned one of four descriptions of phage therapy and then surveyed to assess their acceptance of the treatment. The acceptance of phage therapy was high across the board. However, describing phage therapy using perceived harsh words, such as “kill and “virus”, resulted in lower acceptance rates than alternative descriptions. Additionally, participants who had recent exposure to information about antibiotic resistance and alternative treatments were more accepting of phage therapy.
From the 787 participants who completed the survey, 213 left written responses expressing their opinions on the potential of phage therapy. Of this group, 38 per cent showed a specific interest in phage therapy development, while a further 17 per cent supported the development of antibiotic alternatives generally.
Sophie McCammon said: “An advantage of phage therapy is often the minimal side effects. Emphasising this through education and marketing may increase public acceptance of phage therapy.
“Even though phage therapy may be some years away from routine clinical use in the UK, increasing pressures from the AMR crisis require evaluation of the UK public’s acceptance of alternative treatments.
“The public desire for increased education is apparent. Expanding schemes which are interactively involving children in phage research not only generates excitement for the therapy now, but also promotes awareness in the generation likely to be treated with antibiotic alternatives.”
JOURNAL
PLoS ONE
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Meta-analysis
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
People
ARTICLE TITLE
Phage therapy and the public: Increasing awareness essential to widespread use
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
18-May-2023
IMAGE: 25+ MAJOR SPEAKERS WILL PRESENT OUTSTANDING COMMUNICATIONS DURING TARGETING PHAGE THERAPY 2023 view more
CREDIT: TARGETING PHAGE THERAPY
The 6th World Congress on Targeting Phage Therapy 2023, being held on June 1-2 in Paris, will include more than 70 communications highlighting the most recent advances in phage and phage therapy.
150+ attendees will gather to discuss the future potential of phage therapy. The most strategic question to discuss is: “how to bring phage therapy up to a new level?”.
Targeting Phages 2023 will address how phages play a strategic role to combat infection and antibiotic resistance. A special session will also be dedicated to how phages and phage therapy can modulate gut microbiota.
Get access to the final agenda and speakers.
Supporters
Armata Pharmaceuticals and BiomX will share the results of their latest clinical trials
Mina Pastagia, Armata Pharmaceuticals, USA
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Antibacterial Activity of AP-PA02 Multi-phage Cocktail in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and Chronic Pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection (SWARM-P.a. Clinical Trial)
Iddo Nadav Weiner, VP of Research at BiomX, Israel
A Phase 1b/2a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating Nebulized Phage Therapy in Cystic Fibrosis Subjects with Chronic Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pulmonary Infection
Cellexus will present the use of their CellMaker system in GMP production
Adam Ostrowski, Cellexus, United Kingdom
Implementating GMP Manufacturing for Phage Therapy
More than 25 posters will be presented by academics and industrials
Efficiency of innovative bacteriophage products: Bafacol®, Bafasal® and Bafador® in improving animals health in poultry farming and aquaculture
Proteon Pharmaceuticals (Poland)
Hierarchical classifier of 171 bacteriophage genera with related families and orders
Proteon Pharmaceuticals (Poland)
Selection of bacteriophages with therapeutic potential based on complete genome sequence analysis
JSC Biochimpharm (Georgia)
Propagation and purification of S. epidermidis-specific phage COP-80B for preclinical mouse model study
COBIK (Slovenia)
Check the list of posters of Phage Therapy 2023.
Come and Network with 150+ Attendees
Industrial participants: Phiogen (USA), Armata Pharmaceuticals (USA), BiomX (Israel), Cellexus (UK), , Aparon (UK), AusHealth (Australia), Biochimpharm JSC (Georgia), BIOCODEX (Paris), BIOMERIEUX SA (France), COBIK (Slovenia), ERYTECH Pharma (France), H Venture Partners (USA), Intralytix, Inc. (USA), MB Pharma s.r.o. (Czech Republic), Microbiotix Inc. (USA), Optipharm Inc. (Republic of Korea), Phage Consulting, Phagos (France), Pherecydes Pharma (France), Proteon Pharmaceuticals S.A. (Poland), R.E.D. Laboratories (Belgium), Resistell (Switzerland), Rime Bioinformatics (France), SET Medikal (Turkey), Vésale Bioscience (Belgium), Vitalis Phage Therapy (India), and others.
Academic participants: Adam Mickiewicz University, Agricultural University of Athens, Amrita University, Azabu University, Bacteriophage.news, Baylor College of Medicine, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Biological Research Centre, Szeged,Campus Universitaire de Maubeuge, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Chungnam Natl. Univ., Comenius University, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Fundação Universidade Aberta Da Terceira,Fundación AZTI, G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, microbiology and virology, Geneva University Hospitals, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Helmholtz Center Munich, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Hôpitaux Unversitaires de Genève, Hospices Civils de Lyon, IDADE, IIBR ,Ilia state university, INSERM, Institut Pasteur, Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas (I2SysBio) Universitat de València-CSIC, Kyorin University, Laboratoire ERRMECe, Laboratoire M2iSH, Lesaffre International,Louvain University, Masaryk University, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Medical center Francesc Macia, MPI, National Taiwan University, North-West Unversity, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Phage Consulting,Phage Directory, Pharmabiotic Research Institute (PRI),Polish Academy of Sciences, Prof. Waclaw Dabrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology – State Research Institute, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Burn Wound Centre, LabMCT, Brussels, Belgium, Sofia University, Stockholm University, TailΦr Labs, Baylor College of Medicine, and others.
Industrial Participation
25+ Industries will be present at Targeting Phage Therapy 2023 this June in Paris
CREDIT
Targeting Phage Therapy
Contributing partner
PHAGE Therapy, Applications, and Research Journal is the Official Partner of Targeting Phage Therapy 2023.
Attendees will have the chance to network with the Editor in Chief, Martha Clokie, during Targeting Phage Therapy 2023 and discuss about future collaboration.
For more information about the conference program, speakers, venue and more: www.phagetherapy-site.com
More about PHAGE: Therapy, Applications, and Research
PHAGE: Therapy, Applications, and Research is the only peer-reviewed journal dedicated to fundamental bacteriophage research and its applications in medicine, agriculture, aquaculture, veterinary applications, animal production, food safety, and food production. Under the distinct leadership of Editor-in-Chief Martha Clokie, PhD, University of Leicester, United Kingdom, the Journal showcases groundbreaking research, reviews, commentaries, opinion pieces, profiles, and perspectives dedicated to defining the roles of phages in all facets of microbiology and microbial ecology and exploring their potential to manipulate bacterial communities and treat infection.
PHAGE is the critical resource for molecular biologists, microbiologists, bacteriologists, bioengineers, immunologists, clinicians, and translational biologists, and aims to unify this evolving cluster of innovative researchers, industry leaders, clinicians, and policy makers. The Journal also advances knowledge and development in this re-emerging area of research and opens doors for new ideas and funding opportunities for researchers and clinicians in the field.
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