Physical Health Malaysia Project #54735

Combating Antibiotic Resistance in Africa and Asia

by Phages for Global Health

Summary

Antibiotic-resistant infections are predicted to kill 10 million people each year by 2050 -- five times more than the roughly 2 million deaths caused by COVID-19 in 2020. Thus, we urgently need antibiotic alternatives, particularly in Africa and Asia where 90% of the antibiotic-resistant deaths will occur. Phages for Global Health empowers scientists in Africa and Asia to develop inexpensive, natural antibiotic alternatives (phages) that can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

$45,000
total goal

$16,580
remaining

52
donors

3
monthly donors

3
years

Challenge

The antibiotic resistance crisis disproportionately impacts developing countries, and misuse of antibiotics in COVID-19 patients is expected to increase antibiotic resistance rates worldwide. Before antibiotics were discovered, phages were used as antibacterial agents. With few other treatment options available now, phage-based drugs are regaining popularity in industrialized nations, but most researchers in developing countries lack the expertise to develop and utilize them effectively.

Solution

Phages could be especially useful in the developing world since they can treat antibiotic-resistant infections, are easy to isolate from local environments, relatively inexpensive to produce, and have no reported side effects. We are (1) teaching developing world scientists how to isolate phages, (2) partnering with them to develop phage products, (3) providing information to regional drug regulatory agencies, and (4) working toward establishing centralized phage banks in developing countries.

Long-Term Impact

Since 2017 we have delivered 4 in-person workshops in Africa, teaching scientists how to isolate phages. Those trainees have now started >50 phage research projects, won grants totaling to >$945,000, and taught phage biology to 1200 others -- rapid scaling! In 2022 we will run our first virtual workshop, specifically for scientists in Southeast Asia. Since phages can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food, livestock and people, all this work could save thousands of lives, if not millions.