Phage-antibiotics synergy and nanotechnology interventions in the management of drug resistance among bacterial pathogens: A scoping review

This review highlights innovative strategies to combat rising antibiotic resistance, focusing on the combined use of bacteriophages, antibiotics, and nanotechnology. While phage therapy shows strong potential against resistant bacteria, its application is limited by factors like stability and targeted delivery. Combining phages with antibiotics enhances antibacterial effects even at low doses, and nanotechnology further improves treatment through advanced delivery systems such as liposome-encapsulated phages that better survive and penetrate cells. Moreover, nanoparticles themselves can act as antimicrobials and boost antibiotic effectiveness. However, toxicity and safety studies of nanomaterials remain limited. A SWOT analysis in the review concludes that phage–antibiotic synergy and nanotechnology-based approaches are promising next-generation tools to overcome antimicrobial resistance, pending further validation.