Work

Finding alternatives to antibiotics

Year: 2014

Type: review

Abstract: The spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens requires new treatments. As the rate of development of new antibiotics has severely declined, alternatives to antibiotics must be considered in both animal agriculture and human medicine. Products for disease prevention are different from those for disease treatment, and examples of both are discussed here. For example, modulating the gut microbial community, either through feed additives or fecal transplantation, could be a promising way to prevent certain diseases; for disease treatment, non-antibiotic approaches include phage therapy, phage lysins, bacteriocins, and predatory bacteria. Interestingly, several of these methods augment antibiotic efficacy by improving bacterial killing and decreasing antibiotic resistance selection. Because bacteria can ultimately evolve resistance to almost any therapeutic agent, it is important to continue to use both antibiotics and their alternatives judiciously.

Source: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12468

Authors: Heather K. Allen, Julian Trachsel, Torey Looft, Thomas A. Casey

Institutions: Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, National Animal Disease Center

Language: English

Topic: Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Subfield: Virology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,080