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REVIEW article

Front. Microbiomes
Sec. Host and Microbe Associations
Volume 3 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/frmbi.2024.1450523

Bacteriophages: A Double-Edged Sword In the Gastrointestinal Tract

Provisionally accepted
Yuqi Wei Yuqi Wei Chunli Zhou Chunli Zhou *
  • Suzhou College, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The symbiotic relationship between the gut microbiome and the human body is a concept that has grown in popularity in recent years. Bacteriophages (phages) are components of the gut microbiota and their imbalance plays a role in the pathogenesis of numerous intestinal disorders. Meanwhile, as a new antimicrobial agent, phage therapy (PT) offers unique advantages when compared with antibiotics and brings a new dawn for treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria in intestinal and extraintestinal disorders. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to the characterization of phages, particularly focusing on newly discovered phages. Additionally, we outline the involvement of gut phages in disease pathogenesis and discuss the status and challenges of utilizing phages as therapeutic targets for treatment of enteric infection.

    Keywords: Bacteriophages, gut microbiome, Phage-bacteria interaction, phage-related diseases, phage therapy

    Received: 17 Jun 2024; Accepted: 08 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Wei and Zhou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Chunli Zhou, Suzhou College, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.