Bacteriophage? Can someone help me understand

A bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria - so it's like the Lyme bacteria has a virus inside of it. The abx don't treat the virus, but do kill the bacteria, which (from my understanding) can release the virus into the body.

It's been proven by several different sources, but I'm not so sure that it's "common knowledge" among Lyme patients.

Well, I don't know much about this, as I question the body's ability to deal with the virus when it's immunocompromised, as many with Lyme are, even though many viruses used don't cause human illness - I'm not sure they have studied it well enough in an immunocompromised patient. I simply don't know enough though to even comment on it, much less recommend a good article - it's quite a complex subject. There are some that are trying phage therapy, and I do hope it works.

I know that some Lyme patients are trying phage therapy, but I haven't heard any 'outstanding' success stories really. I'm sure there are a few out there, but a few success stories doesn't mean that it will help most of us. So, I'm still watching and waiting, and that's the main reason I haven't bothered to learn much about it. There are so very many therapies that get tried, that I only research those that seem to really help a majority of patients - or patients with my symptom set. lol!

Do you know what the ID doc's stance on Lyme is? Maybe call them and ask some questions? It would be best to find out what you are 'walking into' anyway. If you feel like they might know some stuff about Lyme, you can go to the appt and see, but if they are in denial of chronic Lyme, then there's really no point in you wasting your time or money.

Traveler said...
It's been proven by several different sources, but I'm not so sure that it's "common knowledge" among Lyme patients.

Well, I don't know much about this, as I question the body's ability to deal with the virus when it's immunocompromised, as many with Lyme are, even though many viruses used don't cause human illness - I'm not sure they have studied it well enough in an immunocompromised patient. I simply don't know enough though to even comment on it, much less recommend a good article - it's quite a complex subject. There are some that are trying phage therapy, and I do hope it works.

I can tell you that I've never heard of it. I tend to barely glance and much of the Lyme feeds that come through facebook, I've found so many seeming to lack credibility, and if I had seen this, I wouldn't have believed it.

I have a difficult time comprehending detailed, involved scientific data for myself, so I am left pretty much relying on if I know and trust the source.

Nature is amazing and bacteriophage is a prime example. For every microbe there is an anti-microbe meaning that there is another microbe out there, whether it be a virus or bacteria, that kills the other virus or bacteria. Its balance in nature.

Science is just beginning to tap into this and anti-microbes need to be looked for as they can be in swamps, soil etc...we don't know yet.

Its the future of medicine and could be the future answer to antibiotic resistance and resistant viruses.