• Question: could you modify the DNA of bacteria to get it to attack other bad bacteria

    Asked by peten to Lena on 12 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Lena Ciric

      Lena Ciric answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      Hi Pete. Good question. This may be possible, but what scientists are focusing on more is the use of viruses to kill bad bacteria.

      Different species of bacteria get infected by viruses that are specific to them (like there are bird viruses, pig viruses, human viruses, etc.). We can exploit these viruses (they’re called bacteriophages) to kill only bad bacteria as a type of therapy. This is called phage therapy. It’s currently only used in Georgia as other countries have not approved it’s use yet.

      Many scientists believe that this is the future in the treatment of bacterial infections as bacteriophages are much more specific than antibiotics which can kill both good and bad bacteria. Watch this space!

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