Phage–Antibiotic Combination Therapy
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Bacterial Viruses".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2026 | Viewed by 237
Special Issue Editor
Interests: phage biology; phage lysis system; phage therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Antibiotic resistance is evolving into a significant health concern worldwide. The utilization of bacteriophages, viruses that target bacteria, to address infections caused by bacteria is garnering global interest. Phage therapy is in its developing phase and demonstrating efficacy as a tailored treatment. Phage treatment interventions in individuals with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are yielding favorable results. However, phage therapy presents several hurdles, including the emergence of phage resistance, the development of anti-phage antibody responses, and difficulties in addressing biofilms, among others. To address these issues associated with phage (mono) therapy, phage–antibiotic combination therapy can be employed to augment bacterial eradication, diminish the likelihood of resistance development, and ultimately enhance therapeutic outcomes.
This Special Issue focuses on recent findings regarding the combination of phage–antibiotic therapies for the treatment of bacterial infections. Phage–antibiotic synergy occurs when sublethal doses of specific antibiotics augment the binding efficacy of phages, resulting in enhanced bacterial eradication. Moreover, antibiotic-resistant bacteria may regain sensitivity to specific antibiotics in the presence of phage as a result of stress. Complex infections, such as biofilm and multi-bacterial infections, are effectively managed using phage–antibiotic combination therapy. There are unexplored areas to investigate, including therapeutic techniques and pre-phage and post-phage administration. This Special Issue solicits research articles on phage biology and characterization, encompassing phage–antibiotic studies as well as in vitro and in vivo studies to enhance our comprehension of phage–antibiotic combination therapy.
Dr. Prasanth Manohar
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- bacteriophage
- antibiotics
- phage therapy
- phage–antibiotic synergy
- combination therapy
- in vitro study
- sub-lethal dose
- emerging alternative
- bacteria-killing
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
