First-Ever Genetically Modified Virus Treatment Saves British Teen
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British teenager Isabelle Holdaway has recovered from a life-threatening infection after receiving the world’s first treatment based on genetically modified viruses. Phages, the bacteria-killing viruses used in the case, are gaining attention for their potential applications in combating drug-resistant superbugs.
抗药性 drug-resistant
感染 infection
堵塞 to clog
存活率 survival rate
抗藥性 drug-resistant
感染 infection
堵塞 to clog
存活率 survival rate
英国少女伊莎贝尔‧霍萨威因感染抗药性细菌，受全球首例基因工程病毒治疗后，目前已痊愈。
伊莎贝尔因患有囊肿性纤维化症，接受双肺移植手术以解决肺部堵塞和长期细菌感染的问题。
但术后，一种类似肺结核的细菌在伊莎贝尔的体内散播开来。医生认定她的存活率仅 1%。
伊莎贝尔的主治医生海伦‧斯宾塞与美国格兰‧哈特富尔教授带领的实验室，研发出一种实验性的噬菌体疗法。
噬菌体是在大自然中普遍存在的病毒，会感染并杀死细菌。
因其感染特定目标的特性，在研发的过程中，哈特富尔教授和他的团队必须针对千种噬菌体组合做不同的测试。
最后的病毒鸡尾酒疗法由三种噬菌体组成，其中两种被研发团队透过基因工程改造，以增加攻击特定细菌的效用。
伊莎贝尔接受噬菌体治疗六周后，感染便完全消失，也没有任何副作用。
噬菌体疗法，因其对抗具抗药性超级细菌的潜力，获全球关注。
英國少女伊莎貝爾‧霍薩威因感染抗藥性細菌，受全球首例基因工程病毒治療後，目前已痊癒。
伊莎貝爾因患有囊腫性纖維化症，接受雙肺移植手術以解決肺部堵塞和長期細菌感染的問題。
但術後，一種類似肺結核的細菌在伊莎貝爾的體內散播開來。醫生認定她的存活率僅 1%。
伊莎貝爾的主治醫生海倫‧斯賓塞與美國格蘭‧哈特富爾教授帶領的實驗室，研發出一種實驗性的噬菌體療法。
噬菌體是在大自然中普遍存在的病毒，會感染並殺死細菌。
因其感染特定目標的特性，在研發的過程中，哈特富爾教授和他的團隊必須針對千種噬菌體組合做不同的測試。
最後的病毒雞尾酒療法由三種噬菌體組成，其中兩種被研發團隊透過基因工程改造，以增加攻擊特定細菌的效用。
伊莎貝爾接受噬菌體治療六周後，感染便完全消失，也沒有任何副作用。
噬菌體療法，因其對抗具抗藥性超級細菌的潛力，獲全球關注。
British teenager Isabelle Holdaway has recovered from a drug-resistant infection after receiving the world’s first treatment based on genetically engineered viruses.
Isabelle, who has cystic fibrosis, underwent a double lung transplant to combat clogging in her lungs and persistent bacterial infections.
A bacteria related to tuberculosis began spreading throughout Isabel’s body after surgery. She was given a 1% chance of survival.
Isabelle’s doctor, Helen Spencer, collaborated with a U.S. laboratory led by Professor Gram Hatfull to develop an experimental phage therapy for the patient.
Phages are naturally occurring viruses that infect and kill bacteria cells.
Because phages are highly specific in their targets, Hatfull and his team had to test dozens of phages in thousands of combinations in their treatment development.
The final viral cocktail involved three phages, two of which Hatfull’s team had genetically modified to increase effectiveness against the target bacteria.
Six weeks after Isabelle began the phage therapy, her infection disappeared. No side effects were reported.
Phage therapy is gaining attention for its potential in combating drug-resistant superbugs.
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