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Finding alternatives to antibiotics
Author(s) -
Allen Heather K.,
Trachsel Julian,
Looft Torey,
Casey Thomas A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/nyas.12468
Subject(s) - antibiotics , antibiotic resistance , phage therapy , lysin , bacteria , biology , disease , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , intensive care medicine , bacteriophage , escherichia coli , biochemistry , genetics , pathology , gene
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.