Bacteriophages vs. Antibiotics

[cameron marical]

I know that Bacteriophages are used in the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe {Wikipedia}, and the US uses Antibiotics for the most part, if not for all the part, so what is better? What are the pros and cons?

 

thanks.

[GDG]

I know that Bacteriophages are used in the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe {Wikipedia}, and the US uses Antibiotics for the most part, if not for all the part, so what is better? What are the pros and cons?

 

thanks.

 

Bacteriophages tend to be very specific to a particular bacterium. Antibiotics tend to wipe out a wide variety of bacteria (good along with the bad). Antibiotics are faster: bacteriophages more accurate.

 

Probably mainly a reflection of our capitalist economy, vs. the state economy. Probably easier to develop an antibiotic as a patentable, exclusive product.

 

From your questions, I thing you (too) would enjoy reading "Good Germs, Bad Germs" by Jessica Snyder Sachs. Has a lot to say about the use and misuse of antibiotics.

[cameron marical]

Thanks for the referance.