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Alternative treatment modes for antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens have become a public health priority. Bacteriophages are bacterial viruses that infect and lyse bacterial cells. Since bacteriophages are frequently bacterial host species-specific and can often also infect antibiotic-resistant bacterial cells, they could represent ideal antimicrobials for fighting the antibiotic resistance crisis. The medical use of bacteriophages has become known as phage therapy. It is widely used in Russia, where phage cocktails are sold in pharmacies as an over-the-counter drug. However, no phage product has been registered for medical purposes outside of the former Soviet Union. The current Special Issue of Viruses contains a collection of papers from opinion leaders in the field who explore hurdles to the introduction of phage therapy in western countries. The articles cover diverse topics ranging from patent to regulatory issues, the targeting of suitable bacterial infections, and the selection and characterization of safe and efficient phage cocktails. Phage resistance is discussed, and gaps in our knowledge of phage–bacterium interactions in the mammalian body are revealed, while other articles explore the use of phages in food production and processing.

alginate --- abortive infection --- n/a --- bacterial resistance --- bacteriophages --- ATMP --- MALDI-MS --- adaptation --- Bacteriophage --- horizontal gene transfer --- adaptive immunity --- co-evolution --- Listeria ivanovii --- personalised medicines --- pH stability --- phage-human host interaction --- vB_SauM-fRuSau02 --- antimicrobial resistance --- phagodisinfection --- biofilm --- capsule depolymerase --- animal model --- phage cocktails --- Enterococcus --- cases report --- zoonosis --- resistance --- magistral formula --- experimental therapy --- Belgium --- phage therapy --- E. faecalis --- nontraditional antibacterial --- industrial phage application --- Democratic Republic of the Congo --- OrthoMCL --- Germany --- high-throughput sequencing --- antimicrobial --- infection --- antibiotic therapy --- Kayvirus --- phages --- Twortlikevirus --- bacterial disease --- human host --- Pseudomonas aeruginosa --- phage --- multidrug-resistant bacteria --- bacterial infection --- Salmonella Typhi --- rhamnopolysaccharide --- compassionate use --- crop production --- compounding pharmacy --- antimicrobial resistance (AMR) --- best practices --- bacteriophage efficacy --- phage sensitivity --- antibiotic-resistance --- antibiotic --- lysins --- PTMP --- Escherichia coli --- typhoid fever --- patent landscape --- phage preparation --- innate immunity --- anti-phage antibodies --- immunology --- Staphylococcus aureus --- global health --- clinical trial --- adsorption --- Brussels --- phage-resistance --- Galleria mellonella --- science communication --- history of science --- virus–host interactions --- foodborne illness --- prophage --- resistance management --- biofilms --- IND --- immunomodulation --- frequency of resistance --- capsule --- gastrointestinal tract --- phage-host interactions --- disinfection --- production --- bacteriophage therapy --- bacteriophage --- Staphylococcus --- magistral preparation --- extended-spectrum beta lactamases (ESBL) --- Viral proteins --- antibiotic resistance --- genomics --- phage biocontrol --- therapy --- target selection --- viral genomes --- evolution --- pharmaceutical paradigm shift --- personalized medicine --- pharmaceutical legislation --- food safety --- regulation --- virulence --- developing countries --- infectious disease --- regulatory framework --- sustainable agriculture --- Klebsiella pneumoniae --- virus-host interactions