Phage therapy: resurrecting a historical solution for the contemporary challenge of rising antibiotic resistance in Latin America

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Antimicrobial resistance in Latin America is a growing concern in both human and non-human animal populations. The economic burden that is likely to be imposed through increased resistance will cause further strains on public health systems and the population at large.

Areas covered

We propose the rapid adoption and implementation of phage therapy as a necessary addition to the medical arsenal to help mitigate antimicrobial resistance, with an emphasis on considering the potential benefits that highly biodiverse countries such as Ecuador may have on phage discovery. However, programs may count on limited government support and/or facilitation, which could slow progress.

Expert opinion

We highlight the need for educational campaigns to be implemented in parallel with the development of phage therapy programs, particularly to implement these novel treatments in rural and indigenous communities.

KEYWORDS:

• Phage therapy
• Latin America
• Ecuador
• biodiversity
• public health
• antimicrobial resistance
• antibiotic resistance

Article highlights

• Antimicrobial resistance in Latin America is a growing concern in both human and non-human animal populations

• The economic burden that is likely to be imposed by increased resistance will cause further strains on public health systems and the population at large

• We propose the rapid adoption and implementation of phage therapy as a necessary addition to the medical arsenal to help mitigate antimicrobial resistance, with an emphasis on considering the potential benefits that highly biodiverse countries such as Ecuador may have on phage discovery

• However, programs may count on limited government support and/or facilitation, which could slow progress

• We highlight the need for educational campaigns to be implemented in parallel with the development of phage therapy programs, particularly to implement these novel treatments in rural and indigenous communities

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

A reviewer on this paper is a co-inventor of patents covering phage preparation and therapeutic application. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

Justin Yeager was funded by UDLA grant FGE.JY.22.01.