Short Wave How A 100-Year-Old Treatment Could Help Save Us From Superbugs
Dec 15, 2020
Steffanie Strathdee, an infectious disease epidemiologist renowned for her groundbreaking work in phage therapy, shares a gripping story of desperation when her husband faced a superbug infection. She discusses the remarkable potential of a century-old treatment, phage therapy, that she turned to for help. Strathdee explains how this method utilizes bacteriophages to combat antibiotic resistance, the challenges it presents, and its experimental status in the U.S. Her journey highlights the urgent need for innovative solutions in the fight against superbugs.
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Superbug in Egypt
- While traveling in Egypt, Steffanie Strathdee's husband, Tom Patterson, contracted a superbug.
- Despite initial treatments for food poisoning, his condition worsened, revealing a multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection.
Discovering Phage Therapy
- Steffanie Strathdee researched extensively to find a solution for her husband's infection.
- She discovered phage therapy, a treatment using bacteria-eating viruses, through online scientific resources.
Phage Therapy Explained
- Phages are viruses that naturally target and kill bacteria.
- They are abundant in various environments, offering a potential solution to antibiotic resistance.
