EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Bacteriophages attack only their host bacteria, not human cells, so they are potentially good candidates to treat bacterial diseases in humans. After antibiotics were discovered, the phage approach was largely abandoned in many parts of the world (particularly English-speaking countries).

Detailed explanation-2: -Phages, formally known as bacteriophages, are viruses that solely kill and selectively target bacteria. They are the most common biological entities in nature, and have been shown to effectively fight and destroy multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Detailed explanation-3: -Bacteriophages, also called phages, are viruses that kill bacteria. They do not kill humans, animals, or plants. Phages only kill one or a few types of bacteria. Therefore, we can use phages that only kill disease-causing bacteria as medicines.

Detailed explanation-4: -Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria but are harmless to humans. To reproduce, they get into a bacterium, where they multiply, and finally they break the bacterial cell open to release the new viruses. Therefore, bacteriophages kill bacteria.

Detailed explanation-5: -Like other viruses, they cannot replicate by themselves, but must commandeer the reproductive machinery of bacteria. To do so, they attach to a bacterium and insert their genetic material. Lytic phages then destroy the cell, splitting it open to release new viral particles, which in turn infect more bacteria.