Bacteriophage Therapy

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and attack bacteria. They are estimated to be the most widely distributed and diverse entities in the biosphere. One of the densest natural sources for phages and other viruses is sea water, where up to 9×108 virions per milliliter have been found in microbial mats at the surface, and up to 70% of marine bacteria may be infected by phages.

They have been used for over 60 years as an alternative to antibiotics in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. They are seen as a possible therapy against multi drug resistant strains of many bacteria.

Now, due to their limited usage and availability, they are unfortunately not the most convenient or affordable therapy out there. (Hopefully, this will change if the West adopts and further develops this approach too.) But, they are potentially a permanent cure for patients with basically no side effects.

Source: Polish Academy of Sciences
Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy
Centre of Excellence since October 2002

Results of bacteriophage treatment (1307 cases)

1307 patients with suppurative bacterial infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria of different species were treated with specific bacteriophages (BP). BP therapy was highly effective; full recovery was noted in 1123 cases (85.9%). In 134 cases (10.9%) transient improvement was observed and only in 50 cases (3.8%) BP treatment was found to be ineffective. The results confirm the high effectiveness of BP therapy in combating bacterial infections which do not respond to treatment with all available antibiotics.

2311 out of 2433 bacterial isolates (95%) of Staphylococcus were sensitive to the set of phages.

Typical cost:

Out-patient care: $2,500.00 - $7,500.00
In-patient care: $5,000.00 - $20,000

Normally, it can take up to 4 weeks from receipt of your samples and reports to complete our laboratory analysis.

So, it's not a cheap therapy (although cheap compared to hospital stays) yet, and the logistical process can take a month or more. However, it has a high success rate and is essentially a cure, not just a management treatment..

And, the Phage Therapy Center can even import to you your phages without you having to fly to Tbilisi, Georgia in person - as long as you get your doctor's prescription for that.

Although I'm not sure if this would decrease the cost of the treatment any - or if the out-patient estimate already assumes this..

03. Skin Disinfection

The frontlines of this war will be fought on your skin. Staph is naturally a skin bacteria, and that is where it's evolved to survive best. It digs its trenches in there, like athlete's foot. So, germicidal topicals will be your primary weapon in this battle.

Note that diluted dosages (as often found in antibacterial soaps) should be avoided here - as they will likely just breed yet more resistance. So, all of these products should be used at full strength for adequate periods to ensure full kill-offs. Because if you don't kill 'em all, you will only make 'em stronger in the long run!

Tea tree oil or bleach should be what you apply locally & immediately to any suspected infection. Manuka oil is another strong option, but it is also pricier... Or, you could even make your own mix with these and/or various other essential oils also known to fight Staph including lemongrass, geranium, thyme, cinnamon, oregano, clove, lavender, etc.!

Initially, you may want to do a full body wash using the cheapest option - bleach. I recommend taking some long, warm bleach baths that will open and penetrate your follicles and pores - and really dig down into the trenches there. After that though, I would probably use probiotic soaps regularly as the more sustainable, long-term approach.

Anyhow, here is a shopping list of these topicals mentioned, plus some others (natural & synthetic) as well:

Tea Tree (Melaleuca) Oil:

a combination of geranium and tea tree oil was most active against the methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (Oxford strain).

Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite):

The researchers suggest that a five-minute soak in a bleach solution consisting of 2.5 mcL of bleach diluted into 13 gallons of water, or about one-half cup of bleach diluted into a 50-gallon standard tub filled one-quarter with water, could decrease CA-MRSA colonies by more than 99.9%.

bleach has a shelf life of six months and then "starts to degrade." Each year you keep the bleach around, it loses 20% of its effectiveness

Manuka Oil:

Manuka Oil was 20-30 times more active than Australian Tea Tree Oil for gram positive bacteria

Allicin:

"Allicin is considered to be the most potent antibacterial agent in crushed garlic extracts." Additionally, allicin has been found to successfully penetrate a "biofilm," referred to by researchers as "slime cities."

The US Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention estimates that, "65% of all human bacterial infections involve biofilms.

Bacteria living outside the biofilms are a thousand times more likely to be killed by antibiotics than bacteria living inside these slime cities." Allicin is known to seek them out and kill them

Medicinal Silver:

If colloidal silver works like this study suggests, it has some major advantages of other antibiotics. Instead of simply inhibiting MRSA, it appears to actually kill the bacteria over time. This would give the bacteria less of a chance to evolve so quickly.

PURE Bioscience signed an agreement licensing Ciba Specialty Chemicals to market and sell its silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC) antimicrobial.

The water-soluble silver salt technology of PURE Bioscience is an excellent tool for formulators in personal care and household industries to improve the preservation and bactericidal properties of their formulations.

SDC is an electrolytically generated source of stabilized ionic silver that can serve as the basis for a broad range of products in diverse markets. Colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-caustic, the aqueous microbial formulates well with other compounds.

Axen30, PURE's first commercialized SDC product, is a powerful hard surface disinfectant whose efficacy exceeds that of most leading commercial and consumer products while maintaining a lower toxicity rating. Its EPA registered claims include a 30-second kill time and a 24-hour residual kill on standard indicator bacteria, a 2-minute kill time on some resistant strains of bacteria including MRSA and VRE, 10-minute kill time on fungi, 30-second kill time on HIV Type I, and 10-minute kill time on other viruses.

Oxychlorine:

Microcyn is a super-oxygenated water claimed to be as effective a disinfectant as chlorine bleach, but is harmless to people, animals and plants.

Probiotic Soap:

I bought this soap on a hunch that a topical probiotic product might help with my skin problems. I am terribly prone to MRSA lesions, particularly on my legs, and antibiotic after antibiotic was not the answer. I started using this soap each time I shower (along with the SK1N body lotion) about three months ago and have not had an infection since I started. This is a BIG deal. It's hard to say for sure that this soap is the only factor in my skin's improvement, but I'm taking it! It's also helped with my eczema, has a nice lather and no off-putting smell. Definitely worth the money.

Ideally, you would only apply disinfectants locally just to "snipe" infections, while using probiotics widely to strengthen your overall resistance. This would probably be the best tactic for using both antimicrobials and probiotics together.

Bacteriophage Therapy:

A bacteriophage (from 'bacteria' and Greek φαγεῖν phagein "to devour") is any one of a number of viruses that infect bacteria. Bacteriophages are among the most common biological entities on Earth.

Lemongrass:

An in vitro study on the inhibition of MRSA by essential oil diffusion found that 72 of 91 investigated essential oils exhibited zones of inhibition in soy agar plates streaked with MRSA (strain ATCC 700699). The most effective being lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus), lemon myrtle oil (Backhousia citriodora), mountain savory oil (Satureja montana), cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum verum), and melissa oil (Melissa officinalis) essential oils. Of these, lemongrass essential oil was the most effective, completely inhibiting all MRSA colony growth.

Grapefruit Seed Extract:

A combination of Citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) and geranium oil showed the greatest-anti-bacterial effects against MRSA

Grapefruit seed extract has been used to combat bird flu in the past and scientific studies have shown it is also effective against MRSA.

There have been a number of scientific studies showing it kills bacteria. But unlike synthetic antibiotics it doesn't take out friendly bacteria. And it covers a broad spectrum of ailments rather than traditional antibiotics that tend to work on specific areas.

Byotrol:

Glasgow Royal Infirmary reduced its MRSA outbreaks by 50 per cent by using Byotrol in tests run by infections expert Professor Curtis Gemmell of Glasgow University.

Byotrol differs from other disinfectants by leaving a film on surfaces that stops bacteria setting down and multiplying.

it creates an incredibly hostile environment for all microbes, yet on skin it does not strip away the natural oils.

Chlorine Dioxide:

Spray with topical MMS.
Or you can activate 2 drops of MMS (no water) and put in a container that just fits over the boil and press against the skin allowing the gas fumes to go over the boil. Depending on the state of the boil, puss may be discharged. Take MMS orally 3 drops for a few days.

Selectrocide chlorine dioxide can also be used on hard, non-porous surfaces in health clubs, spas, public places and swimming facilities as a treatment against MRSA.

MRSA on hard surfaces is easy to eliminate with a chlorine dioxide solution of 30 PPM. It takes about 60 seconds to kill it off. It is more difficult to remove from skin because of its texture and the flora on the skin interacts with chlorine dioxide using it up to a point where little is left to react with the infection.

LED:

Both visible red, blue and “invisible” infrared light effect at least 24 positive changes at the cellular level. Red light, which is visible, at a wavelength of 640 nanometers, penetrates tissue to a depth of about 8-10 mm. It is very beneficial in treating issues close to the surface such as wounds, cuts, scars, trigger and acupuncture points and is particularly effective in treating infections. Infrared light (880 nm) penetrates to a depth of about 30-50 mm, which makes it more effective for bones, joints, deep muscle, etc.

Can anyone explain why a 470 nm blue light in a form of disinfection or treatment in hospitals, nursing homes, even patients, haven’t been adopted yet?

A research was published back in January of 2009, which clearly demonstrated and reported a natural, visible and safe form of blue light Killed two strands of MRSA bacteria in-vitro. The Research suggested the same or similar results could be obtained in-vivo, meaning patients can be treated above or below the skin.

French Green Clay (Agricur):

The clay killed up to 99 per cent of superbug colonies within 24 hours. Control samples of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) grew 45-fold in the same period.

(I would avoid using this in baths or showers though, as it will slowly clog your plumbing...)

Chlorhexidine:

It's (conventionally) recommended to initially cover yourself from head to toe with Hibiclens in the shower for 10 days in a row. Do this with the water off and let it stand a few minutes. In general, the longer the contact time, the more germs will get killed. Hibiclens goes on slick and seems to do a fair job of reaching medium-depth Staph, but may not get absorbed deeply enough in the skin to get the more embedded ones (like bleach or tea tree oil). So, it may be good for broad coverage, but you may still have to follow-up locally with tea tree oil or something else more penetrative. Also, keep in mind that Hibiclens could theoretically also breed further resistance...(so I'm not sure I would personally recommend this one).

PuraCleen:

This line of sanitizing products includes ingredients like benzalkonium chloride, alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chlorides, octyl decyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, etc.

(Ok, now say those 10 times fast!)

Coconut Oil:

Externally, coconut oil can be used as skin lotion which creates a protective barrier on the skin.

Coconut oil acts with compounds on our skin to create an acidic surface that is inhospitable to pathogens. When this barrier is in place, very few pathogens are found on our skin. Our bodies have this acidic barrier naturally, but soap frequently washes it away. This leaves us open to problems that enter the body through the skin - including MRSA.

Hot Water:

Hot water in the shower will help increase circulation..

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02. Basic Protocol

Ok, so let's say you suspect you have a Staph infection, what do you do now???

Well, here's the basic protocol in a nutshell:

1) Tea Tree Oil:

Apply tea tree oil regularly to the infection. Use a new square of facial tissue (Kleenex) each time and don't double-dip. Keep reapplying until it finally disappears (this may take an hour to days). This generally works well when the infection is still just a red dot or a whitehead. Another natural option here is manuka oil - but it's fairly pricier (albeit much stronger too).

2) Bleach Swab:

For something a little stronger, dip a Q-tip in bleach and you may (optionally) swipe or hold it very briefly it under a trickle of water to dilute it a bit. Then, swab this topically onto the infection site. You can lightly rub it into small folliculitis spots for a few minutes until they stop stinging (rather than just dabbing it on quickly once). Now, bleach is of course somewhat caustic to your skin, so you may not want to apply it more than 3 days in a row..

3) Body Washing:

You may try taking some warm, diluted bleach baths as an initial shotgun approach. Soak (for maybe ~3 days straight) about an hour each time to let the chlorine really absorb into your pores and follicles - where Staph loves to hide out the most. And obviously, don't make the bleach solution too strong or get it in your eyes.

You just have to find a balance between killing the germs and drying out your skin too bad. But do note that bleach breaks down into salts in about 24 hours, so it's not as harsh a chemical as one might think. Which also means that you must make a fresh new batch before each usage...

And to help osmotically "suck out" toxins, you may also want add some epsom salt, sea salt, baking soda, & borax into your bath as well.

But, "sniping" spots with Q-tips may be a more effective strategy in the long run - as it's easier and won't wipe out all the probiotics covering your body, too. A few initial "clean sweep" baths may still be a good idea, though.

4) Internal Medicine:

Take Bactestat (with Staph "vibe" added) homeopathic remedy, BellaVida Super "Angstrom" Silver and Allimed/Allimax caps daily. Also eat a lot of raw garlic (up to a clove) and a few tablespoons of tumeric powder per day. You can eat the garlic mostly at night to minimize bad breath and dissolve the turmeric in water for easier consumption. You can buy turmeric capsules, but it's much cheaper in the bulk foods section. For (internal) sepsis, you may want to try Dr. Paul Marik's HAT/ACTS cocktail or something similar. And there's also some additional herbs, supplements, and information listed in this section.

5) Decontamination:

You must also "decon" (disinfect) your personal environment to remove any Staph that migrated there. This includes any sports equipment, home & bath, car, office space, clothing, etc. Mainly, the key areas to focus on are dank, hard surfaces where biofilms tend to form best - like in particular, your bathroom. Diluted bleach spray, alcohol and Byotrol are some good options here. I would also wash your clothes, bedsheets and towels frequently with hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and borax added in.

6) Lance & Drain:

If the infection is a spider bite-sized boil and is not subsiding with the bleach or tea tree oil, you may have to go to a clinic to get it surgically-lanced & drained. Lancing, popping or squeezing any boil yourself runs a possible risk of causing cellulitis or septic infection, so I wouldn't recommend DIY operations here. In any case, after any boil has been lanced, be sure to keep it covered up as the pus leaking out is rather contagious.

For simple abscesses up to 5 cm, incision and drainage are just as effective as adding an antibiotic (Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2004;23:123-7). "If it's a simple abscess, do drainage,"

7) Wound Care:

I recommend holding any bandage in place with wrapping or a makeshift sling, rather than tape. The reason why is that tape left on the skin continuously for days may eventually rip the skin off in that area, leading to a secondary wound. But if you must use adhesive in an awkward area, be sure to use proper band-aids or medical tape. And if those are sticking too strongly, you might consider swiping the area down first with a little tea tree oil to weaken the adhesive bond.

8) Testing:

There is no foolproof test to tell if you have totally eradicated Staph off your entire body. You can take a nasal swab test for MRSA because it often colonizes there, but that does not guarantee there is none elsewhere on you. So, there could always be some false negatives. But, if you have gone for at least many months or a few years without any recurrences and all your skin and follicles look really clear (no dark or purplish spots), then you're probably Staph-free. Time is ultimately probably the best test here.

9) Time:

MRSA seems like Athlete's Foot or household mold. If you treat it properly and dilligently, it should keep diminishing over time until it eventually stops recurring at all. If successful, your outbreaks should be steadily decreasing in both severity (shrinking in size from boils to whiteheads to folliculitis and limited to more narrrowly confined areas) and frequency. Note that it may take 1-2 years (or even more or less) to totally peeter out to "zero" on this downward curve. (Of course, this duration is highly-variable depending upon many, many factors.)

I also suspect that your immune system may slowly build up some immunity to it meanwhile, as well. That may be 1 tiny bright spot to all this, if any, lol.

So, it is curable, given the right protocol and allowing sufficient time. :)

In the meantime, your goal is to progressively keep weeding it out from everywhere in your personal space!

Ok, well that was just the abbreviated version. The following pages contain additional options and more detailed instructions and information...

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Bactestat Homeopathic Remedy

Source

You can ask for Bactestat with the Staph "vibe" added here:

North Texas Wellness Center
4011 W Plano Parkway, Suite 125
Plano, Texas 75093-5693
Tel: (972) 964-0800
Fax: (972) 964-0805

This homeopathic remedy works by stimulating the body to neutralize the Staph and other pathogens via the Law of Similars & Inverse Principle of Dilution.

Directions For Homeopathics

1. Drops should be placed directly under the tongue (sublingually) for maximum benefit. If this is a problem, they may be placed in a small amount of water (2 oz.) and then put a small amount of the solution under the tongue before drinking the rest. The doctor will prescribe your dosage (typically 30-40 drops per day divided into 2-4 doses).

2. Drops may be taken sequentially allowing approximately 15 to 30 seconds between each product. For best results, do not mix the remedies together.

3. Homeopathics should be taken between meals in most cases (acute cases are an exception). A general rule of thumb is no sooner than 30 minutes before a meal and at least 60 minutes after a meal.

4. Products must be kept away from:
a. Computers
b. X-rays (including airport security X-ray)
c. Any type of magnets
d. Television sets
e. Microwave ovens
f. Strong odors (i.e. garlic, aromatherapies, etc.) - If these are used, the remedy should not be used for at least 1 hour after contact.

5. Light and heat do not affect homeopathics. Electromagnetic fields will destroy the products.

6. Caffeine-containing products (coffee, colas, teas, etc.) should not be used while on a homeopathic program. These will reduce the effectiveness of the homeopathics by approximately 60%. (If you are a coffee drinker, you may have 1 cup of coffee in the morning, but you must wait 2 hours before starting your products.)

7. If planning to have dental work done while on the program, please stop all products on the day of your dental procedure. Then start again the next day where you left off.

Alcohol-based homeopathics are the most efficient way to take homeopathics. As the remedy is absorbed directly into the bloodstream immediately. The amount of alcohol in 10 drops is very minimal. If you are concerned about taking the alcohol or giving it to a small child or alcohol-sensitive person, simply place the drops on a rice cake, cracker, piece of bread or in a small amount of water and let sit in the open air for 20-30 minutes. The alcohol will evaporate and you will still get the benefit of the homeopathic remedy.

When taking a detoxification type of remedy, some patients may experience detoxification type of symptoms within 3 to 4 days (slight nausea, fatigue or flu-like symptoms). Simply discontinue the product for 1-2 days to give the body time to catch up with its cleansing process. Then resume the product schedule.

Testimonial

I had Chronic staph for a year a half. I took Both Rifampim and Bactrim MANY times. Kept coming back. (Plus, I think my immune system was weakened. I kept getting sick. I got thrush in my mouth and strep throat three times.) I had msra- they tested me for it by lancing my swollen toe. I went to a TON of Doctors, all which gave me antibiotics that did not work. I went to an infectious disease "specialist" who told me that I would always have it and sold me some $40 soap that did not work.

I finally went to a holistic Guy and he made me a homeopathic remedy that totally worked. The wellness center of Plano, tx is where I went. He made me something from "Bacestat." ($17) IT TOTALLY WORKED He also had me take Angstrom Silver. ($39- Also cures any bacterial infection like strep throat, yeast type infections, colds.) ***The Bacestat is not a prescription, but they do have to make it for you specifically for MSRA.

I have scars on my shoulder, both knees, and my thigh. Its too bad I had to live with it for that long when such a simple cure is available.I have had NO problems at all for over six months now. GOOD LUCK I hope this works for you too! - Nic

I have had a recurring staph infection for over a year and a half. Been to a dozen doctors and they keep giving me antibiotics that don't work...I was NOT a believer in alternative medicine, but I decided to try anyway. They gave me two NON prescription things to take and my staph was GONE within a week. I have not had any issues now for almost six months!! Plus- my husband and I had strep throat this week and both are better within a day of taking this silver he gave us...Plus- they are less expensive that my regular doctor's co-pay. They are so fabulous I would highly recommend going for any ailment. - Nicole L‎

01. What Is Staph?

Staphylococcus aureus ("Staph") is a common skin bacteria named for its microscopic, grapelike appearance. Staphylo & coccus mean "bunch of grapes & spherical bacterium" in Greek.
Now, about 1/3 of people are colonized with Staph somewhere in their outer orifices (nostrils, vagina, anus, etc). And this is generally not a problem...except when they are the more pathogenic and opportunistic strains on the spectrum.

There has long been such a continuum and these more virulent varieties have actually been around...for quite a while now. Although, they have also certainly gotten progressively worse over time!

Back in 1929, this Listerine ad referred to it as the "stubborn (pus) germ." Quite an apt description!

More recently, in the 80s, it was the culprit behind Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).
And now, it has unfortunately resurfaced yet again as an antibiotic-resistant "superbug" from our overusage of commercial antibiotics (in both medical and livestock settings).

These new mutant strains include Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA). 14 years ago, about 30% of people carried some form of Staph, while .8% had MRSA on them. Those numbers have now crept up to around 33% and 2%, respectively. Typical high-risk hotspots include hospitals, gyms (workout, MMA, boxing), locker rooms, etc. So, it is likely that you will eventually encounter some (knowingly or not) in your practice...and just general life! While fortunately, at least VISA/VRSA (the most dangerous strains), are still considerably rarer...with just handfuls of known cases thus far.

Symptoms

A localized Staph skin infection typically first starts off as a small (~3/16"), bright red/pink, prickly spot. It may resemble a bug bite, except that it is typically brighter in color and may often have a prickly sensation (or sometimes none at all). So, you may feel it before you visually notice it. Whereas if it's a duller tone and itchy, it may just be an ordinary bug bite...and not Staph. If properly treated at this time, it could disappear within an hour or so.

But if allowed to progress untreated beyond this stage, it may form a whitehead. This is technically called a boil or furuncle and would look basically just like a whitehead pimple...except again, it would likely have a prickly or sore sensation. If properly treated at this point, it could still disappear within a week or so.

Beyond this point, the infection could continue to grow into a larger boil. Which would resemble a spider bite. Except that there are no fang marks. Instead, the reddened mound is caused by a hard buildup of pus underneath. Hopefully, you did not let it reach this stage - as this could require a medical surgical incision to drain it. That could take a week just to heal and close back up...but the resulting scar could take a year to disappear. Not to mention may cost a few hundred as even outpatient procedures aren't cheap.

Past that, carbuncles (clusters of furuncles), cellulitis, more severe infections, and possibly even sepsis could potentially develop - eventually leading to some of the "worst case" scenarios you might see elsewhere on the net. Or opportunistic infections may also skip straight to this phase if they penetrated the skin and started internally somehow... But hopefully, you didn't let it get that far. Infections are like fires. If you detect and fight them early, they are easy to put out. Wait until your whole house is in flames though...and you may be fighting an uphill or losing battle!

Now, if any of these symptoms sound like what you have...please get checked at a local clinic to confirm your diagnosis.

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