Elementary Student Outreach Activity Demonstrating the Use of Phage Therapy Heroes to Combat Bacterial Infections ?

摘要

The public has recently gained an increased appreciation of “good” or “friendly” bacteria, including commensal bacteria that are part of the healthy human microbiome ( 1 ) and bacteria present in common probiotic food products such as yogurt ( 2 ). Despite this new perception of bacteria, the term “virus” still has a predominantly negative connotation that is almost exclusively associated with disease ( 3 ). Consequently, the public frequently asks questions such as “Are there any good viruses?” In fact, there are many viruses that have mutualistic relationships with their hosts ( 4 ), but one viral group of particular interest for benefiting human health is the bacteriophages (phages: viruses that infect bacteria), which can specifically kill disease-causing bacterial pathogens.