Phage therapy: the Escherichia coli experience

Nestlé Research Centre, CH-1000 Lausanne 26 Vers-chez-les-Blanc, Switzerland Correspondence Harald Brüssow harald.bruessow{at}rdls.nestle.com Phages have been proposed as natural antimicrobial agents to fight bacterial infections in humans, in animals or in crops of agricultural importance. Phages have also been discussed as hygiene measures in food production facilities and hospitals. These proposals have a long history, but are currently going through a kind of renaissance as documented by a spate of recent reviews. This review discusses the potential of phage therapy with a specific example, namely Escherichia coli .