Phages can help treat intestinal dysbiosis, but they must be used after proper selection and, very generally, in combination with other treatments.

Definition of the microbiota

Definition of the microbiota according to the Larousse dictionary:

• A set of bacteria, viruses, and yeasts living in a specific environment. (The human intestinal microbiota is composed of approximately 100 trillion microorganisms.)
  
  

The microbiota is therefore a collection of intestinal bacteria that live and maintain a happy balance in our intestines. They are normally responsible for 70% of our immune defenses.

It is known that the greater the diversity and quantity of bacteria present in our microbiota, the more stable this balance will be.

Each microbiota is different, a bit like our fingerprints.

Microbiota analysis

First of all, and as a matter of routine, it is necessary to carry out tests in order to understand the causes of the patient’s intestinal dysbiosis. These tests will initially be based on careful listening to the patient: a description of symptoms, stress, environment, diet, and so on. The doctor will then decide which tests need to be performed. As a rule, there will be at least one stool analysis.

The stool sample will be sent to the laboratory, which will look for pathogenic bacteria as well as the “missing” bacteria needed for a rebalanced microbiota.

The laboratory will then search for and identify virulent bacteriophages active against the pathogenic bacteria.

What is dysbiosis?

Intestinal dysbiosis is, in fact, the observation that the microbiota is unbalanced due to:

• An excessive amount of harmful bacteria compared with beneficial bacteria
  
• A microbial flora that is too low
  

The most common causes are as follows

• Either through inheritance (genetic causes, breastfeeding or not, etc.)
  
• Or due to illness
• Or due to a diet that is too low in vegetables and too high in processed and fatty foods
  
• Or due to excessive use of antibiotics
  
• Or due to environmental pollutants
  
• Or due to the consumption of alcohol and tobacco
  

Microbiota treatment

Depending on the results, the doctor may then prescribe a plan to rebalance the microbiota.

This plan will essentially consist of the following:

• Prescribe appropriate phages based on the laboratory results
  
• Prescribe appropriate probiotics
• Recommend an appropriate diet:
  
  • In particular, eliminate certain foods and encourage the consumption of selected foods
    

Follow-up of the treatment and its progress

During the course of treatment, the patient regularly returns to see the doctor, who then monitors the progression of the symptoms. The doctor may then suggest carrying out new tests. Depending on the test results and the symptoms, the doctor may then:

• Adjust or stop the phage treatment
  
• Gradually adjust the diet by reintroducing certain foods little by little
  
• Adjust the probiotic treatment