Short Wave Can A 100-Year-Old Treatment Help Save Us From Superbugs?
Jan 16, 2020
Steffanie Strathdee, an infectious disease epidemiologist, shares her harrowing story of her husband's near-fatal superbug infection, which sparked her journey into phage therapy. She discusses how this century-old treatment works and its promising role in combating antibiotic resistance. Strathdee explains the collaborative efforts involved in accessing experimental treatments and highlights the emotional complexities faced by caregivers. The conversation emphasizes the potential of bacteriophages as a revolutionary approach in the ongoing battle against superbugs.
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Tom's Illness
- Steffanie Strathdee's husband, Tom Patterson, contracted a superbug in Egypt.
- He became violently ill and did not respond to standard antibiotics, eventually falling into a coma.
Phage Therapy Intro
- Phages are viruses that infect and kill bacteria.
- They're abundant in the environment and offer a potential treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections.
Phage Mechanics
- Bacteriophages are found everywhere, including extreme environments and the human body.
- They kill bacteria by injecting their DNA, forcing the bacteria to replicate the virus until it bursts.
