How do we use viruses to kill bacteria for the good of mankind?

Question

Just want to know about any viruses that is being used today to help manknid

Answer 1

There are a few examples.

Phages have been tested to control Erwinia a bacterial disease of plants.

Phages are also being tested to control some human bacterial diseases. See the link below.

Answer 2

A few years ago we were using a virus called adenovirus to give people a gene that they were missing. It was all working fine until someone got ill and died as a result of the virus. A few more people also suffered illness caused by the virus, and so the trial was halted and since then it has been very hard to get funding for viral based gene therapy research.

That being said the possibility of using bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and KILL bacteria, to treat certain bacterial infections is being considered. This is because bacteriophages are unable to infect humans in anyway.

Answer 3

Bacteriophages are viruses that engulf bacteria thus destroying them. They've been around as long as bacteria have and their numbers are in direct correlation to the number of bacteria present in any environment. There are 12 groups of bacteriophagic viruses. Go to any websites suggested, or run your own search for "bacteriophages" and see which specific ones are being used or are currently being researched for possible use.

Answer 4

We can use virus indirectly to kill bacteria via immune mediated response e.g Herpes Simplex.
Antiviral vaccines are used in multiple to prevent multiple diseases e.g anti flu, anti rabies, Hep B vaccine and many more.

I have omitted the finer technical detail as this is a highly technical question involving immunological system of the body, it is for general information in very brief for the all on the net to understand.

Answer 5

Virus do not kill bacteria.

But viruses can be used to make vaccines to imunize people against that virus.