Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are a common health issue, especially for women. In fact, half of all women are expected to have at least one UTI during their lifetime.
Many women also face repeated infections, which can cause a lot of discomfort and frustration. If left untreated, UTIs can lead to serious health problems.
Treating UTIs isn’t always simple. Doctors usually give antibiotics, but sometimes they don’t know exactly which bacteria are causing the infection. Lab tests take several days, so doctors often have to make their best guess. If the guess is wrong, the treatment may not work and could contribute to the larger problem of antibiotic resistance.
Now, scientists at ETH Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital have created a new solution. They’ve developed a fast and clever test using special viruses called bacteriophages—or simply phages—that naturally attack bacteria.
These phages have also been genetically improved to do an even better job. This research was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Phages are tiny viruses that are experts at attacking specific bacteria. Professor Martin Loessner and his team used phages to target the main bacteria that cause UTIs: E. coli, Klebsiella, and Enterococci.
These phages were genetically changed so that when they infect the bacteria, the bacteria give off a light signal. This glowing signal helps researchers know quickly—within four hours—what bacteria are in the urine.
This fast testing means doctors don’t have to wait days to find out what’s causing the infection. They can choose the right antibiotic much sooner. This helps patients feel better faster and reduces the risk of using the wrong medicine, which can make bacteria stronger and harder to treat.
But that’s not all. The researchers are also using these phages as a treatment. While phage therapy has been around for more than 100 years, it faded from use after antibiotics were discovered. Now that antibiotic resistance is a major concern, phage therapy is making a big comeback.
Phages work like sharp shooters, targeting only the harmful bacteria without affecting the good ones. In this new study, the scientists gave the phages a special upgrade. Not only do the phages reproduce inside the bacteria, but they also produce bacteriocins—proteins that are toxic to bacteria. This makes the treatment even more powerful.
The next step is clinical trials. The research team is preparing to test this method in patients. While this new therapy is still in the early stages, it offers great hope. According to lead author Matthew Dunne, more studies are happening around the world to explore how phages—both natural and engineered—can be used in medicine.
However, before phage treatments become widely available, health authorities need to create new rules for their use. Because phages are living organisms that can evolve, current drug rules don’t fully cover them.
In summary, this new phage test and therapy could change how UTIs and other infections are treated. It promises faster results, better treatments, and a way to fight back against antibiotic resistance. For anyone who has dealt with UTIs or is worried about drug-resistant bacteria, this breakthrough brings new hope.
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