Viruses that have the potential to save millions of lives

TBILISI: After a pandemic that killed millions and turned the world upside down, it may sound weird, yet viruses have the potential to save just as many lives.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and “friendly” viruses are fighting in a petri dish in a laboratory in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital.

This small Caucasus country has led the way in groundbreaking research to combat the oncoming dread of bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotics that the world relies on.

Bacteriophages, or bacteria-eating viruses, have long been disregarded in the West, but they are now being employed in some of the most challenging medical cases, such as a Belgian lady who developed a life-threatening illness after being injured in the 2016 Brussels airport bombing.