ORONO, Maine, April 30 -- University of Maine issued the following news release:
Bacteria are everywhere. They are all around you, inside of you and are you. For every bacterium there are at least ten phages, or bacteria-specific viruses, that can infect them.
When phages infect and reproduce inside bacteria, the consequences can be dire. Phages that infect bacteria can contribute to their drug-resistance and ability to cause disease. A new study led by University of Maine researchers aims to find out why.
A deeper understanding of phages' ability to influence bacteria could allow for more targeted medical treatment of often drug-resistant diseases. Despite these viruses being the most abundant biological entity on earth, many people do ...