Phage therapy in allergic disorders?

Allergic disorders pose a growing challenge to medicine and our society. Therefore, novel approaches to prevention and therapy are needed. Recent progress in studies on bacterial viruses (phages) has provided new data indicating that they have significant immunomodulating activities. We show how those activities could be translated into beneficial effects in allergic disorders and present initial clinical data that support this hope. Impact statement Allergic disorders pose a growing challenge to medicine and our society, so new approaches to prevention and therapy are urgently needed. Our article summarizes progress that has been recently made and presents a shift in our understanding of the immunobiological significance of bacterial viruses (phages). Currently, phages may be considered not only as mere "bacteria eaters" but also as regulators of immunity. The new understanding of phages as important factors in maintenance of immune homeostasis opens completely new perspectives for their use in controlling aberrant immune responses. It is likely that this new knowledge could be translated into novel means of immunotherapy of allergic disorders.