For years, a type of bacteria called Enterococcus faecium lurked in Lynn Cole’s bloodstream. Often found in hospitals, E. faecium is usually a gut-dwelling bacteria but can creep into other areas of the body. Her doctors tried various antibiotics, but the bacteria was zombie-like: It kept coming back.
Running out of options after a month-long hospitalization in 2020, Cole and her family agreed to try an experimental treatment called phage therapy. Phages aren’t drugs in the traditional sense. They are tiny, naturally occurring viruses that selectively kill bacteria. Highly specific to the bacteria they attack, phages are showing promise against hard-to-treat infections when antibiotics fail.
Phage therapy is not yet approved
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