Phage Therapy and Cystic Fibrosis

CAN PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS BENEFIT FROM PHAGE THERAPY?

Yes, patients with cystic fibrosis are often, due to the condition of cystic fibrosis, affected by bacterial infections. Phage therapy is used to treat bacterial infections and can therefore be perfectly prescribed in these specific cases.The treatment of bacterial infections in patients with cystic fibrosis helps to significantly reduce the infectious load, and sometimes even eradicate it. However, depending on the bacteria responsible for the infection, some treatments may not be possible or effective. Please check the page "What does phage therapy treat" to verify the list of bacteria that can be treated with phage therapy.

There is not yet any clinical study conducted in the West, but all the scientists who are looking into the subject are in favor of it, yet the Georgians have been applying it in this context for 100 years! Click on the following links for more information:
-Frontiers, medical approach
-National Institute of Health (NIH supports clinical trial of phage therapy for cystic fibrosis
-French Society of Microbiology: cystic fibrosis patients treated with phage therapy/
-Inserm: Completely harmless to humans, phages are viruses that can be highly effective against certain bacteria

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF TREATING A PATIENT WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS USING PHAGE THERAPY?

In the 100 years that phage therapy has been used, there are no known side effects. However, it should be noted that a very small number of patients have had difficulty tolerating inhalations.Nevertheless, as a principle, it is advised to perform the first inhalations under medical supervision.The only constant risk is the varying degree of frailty in such patients, for whom a worsening of cystic fibrosis conditions (deterioration of the lungs), independent of phage therapy which has no known impact, can occur at any time, even during phage therapy. This deterioration can be natural, due to extreme fatigue, a concurrent infection, catching a cold, etc.

What results can be expected?

In the treatment of bacterial infections in cystic fibrosis patients using phage therapy, the results are highly variable and also depend on the conditions of each patient:If the lungs are in good condition and the immune conditions are satisfactory, spectacular results can appear (and often have!), where phages can replace antibiotics for several years, and comfort conditions can return to almost normal with the cessation of coughing.If the lungs are mechanically particularly degraded, the symptoms of improvement may not be very evident, although the phages will still have contributed to stabilizing or reducing the infection.Finally, cases of failure can also occur.

Treatment of Bacterial Infections in Cystic Fibrosis Patients

The treatment will consist, after identifying the bacteria responsible for the infection and the effective phages (phagogram), of inhaling phages at regular intervals determined by the doctors. The goal is to bring the phages into contact with the bacteria located in the lungs and bronchi.Concurrently, patients drink 2 to 3 vials of phages per day and take breaks to prevent the bacteria from having time to develop resistance to the phages.Please visit the page "treatment by phagotherapy" to understand the entire operation of such a treatment.

TESTIMONY OF ESTEBAN, A CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENT TREATED WITH PHAGE THERAPY IN GEORGIA

See, by clicking on the following link, the testimony of Esteban, a patient with cystic fibrosis who was treated with phage therapy in Georgia.
Click on "Pulmonary Infections" Testimonials: Phage Therapy Testimonials.

Treated diseases