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Salutary Contributions of Viruses to Medicine and Public Health

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Viruses: Essential Agents of Life

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Abstract

Bacteriophages or phages are the viruses of domain Bacteria. Phages played key roles in the development of the fields of molecular biology and ­molecular genetics, plus are essential contributors to bacterial ecology and evolution. A subset of bacteriophages, furthermore, serve as serious public health menaces by encoding bacterial virulence factors. Notwithstanding the latter issue, a substantial fraction of phages are quite safe and phages generally are permissive to genetic manipulation. Consequently, phages may be employed in a number of technologies relevant to medicine and public health. As discussed in this chapter, these technologies include phage use as antibacterial agents (phage therapy); vaccines (both DNA and subunit); selectively cytotoxic complexes, including as anti-cancer agents; gene therapy vectors; bacterial identification and detection agents; and a means of discovery of small-molecule antibacterials. Phages also serve as a source of purified gene ­products for use in numerous tasks including as antibacterial agents (particularly lysins).

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Acknowledgement

Thanks to Jason Clark and Chris Cox for the input into those sections citing their work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 1680 University Dr., Mansfield, OH, 44906, USA

    Stephen T. Abedon

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  1. Stephen T. Abedon
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Correspondence to Stephen T. Abedon .

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  1. Telos - Philosophische Praxis, Vogelsangstr. 18c, Bürmoos, 5111, Austria

    Günther Witzany

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Abedon, S.T. (2012). Salutary Contributions of Viruses to Medicine and Public Health. In: Witzany, G. (eds) Viruses: Essential Agents of Life. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4899-6_19

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