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CloudPeels t1_irzp0tt wrote

Reply to comment by OmarLittleFinger in "New antibiotic hiding in diseased potatoes thwarts fungal infections in plants and humans" by tonymmorley

Recall phages used as antibiotic used for long time. Eastern Europe/Georgia think still use or at least during postdocs of colleagues?

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cguess t1_irzqpup wrote

They're interesting but incredibly specific. Most antibiotics are gram positive or gram negative targeting and petty much nukes everything in that spectrum. It's easier and cheaper than engineering viruses for a specific bacterium.

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[deleted] t1_is0bw1u wrote

[deleted]

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cguess t1_is0z93s wrote

depends on the bacteria. Phages can absolutely be useful, but they're not going to replace broad-spectrum antibiotics for instance.

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