Phage therapy to combat mycobacterial infections: a therapeutic perspective

Antibiotic-microbial resistance (AMR) is the single biggest threat in the 'one health program' for the existence of not only the human race but also animals. In recent times, there has been an increase in the bio-load of pathogenic mycobacterial infections in the environment, and it is becoming difficult to manage these pathogens. Infection of these mycobacterial species takes several months, resulting in high morbidity and mortality both in animals and humans. Slowly, these mycobacterial infections are now leading the list of drug-resistant pathogens. To combat the rise in the menace of "drug-resistant" mycobacterial infections, "phages" could be vital and efficient tools. Many researchers explored the potential of "mycobacteriophages" as novel 'therapeutic agents. A large number of lytic mycobacteriophages have been isolated and genomically characterized, providing insights into their diversity and evolution. This has fueled the development of novel strategies for controlling zoonotic mycobacterial species. This review presents comprehensive information on mycobacteriophages currently used in the therapeutic management of mycobacterial infections, especially zoonotic in nature, and how real the future perspectives of 'phage-based therapy' as an alternative to antibiotics are.