Stephanie Strathdi's husband was about to die. The doctors told her he was lost. But she didn't give up, and took a very unconventional path to save his life. We used ChatGPT to summarize the long journey.
Strathford's husband, Tom Patterson, suffered severe stomach cramps while cruising on the Nile over Thanksgiving. He was soon diagnosed with Acinetobacter baumannii, an aggressive bacterium resistant to almost all antibiotics and common in the Middle East. After months of ups and downs, as his condition worsened, Starthby, an infectious disease epidemiologist, found herself facing a difficult situation: modern medicine had exhausted its arsenal of antibiotics, and doctors surrendered. In a desperate plea for a sign of life, Starthdi asked her husband to shake her hand if he didn't want to surrender. A strong press encouraged her to embark on a journey that would eventually lead to a miraculous recovery.
The turning point came when she turned to unconventional treatment – bacteriophage (or phage for short). Phages are viruses that devour bacteria, and Starthdi embarked on a mission to locate specific phages capable of fighting the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that had spread through her husband's body. She reached out to phage scientists around the world, initiating a kind of molecular hunt in sewage, swamps, ponds and other bacterial breeding places. The goal was to find the elusive phages that could save Patterson's life.
The journey faced many obstacles – from FDA approval for the unproven treatment to purifying the phage cocktail to ensure its safety. Amazingly, within three weeks, doctors injected the purified phage virus mixture into Patterson's body, and three days later he emerged from his coma, lifted his head off the bed and kissed his daughter's hand.
Today, nearly eight years later, Patterson is enjoying retirement, engaged in daily walks and gardening. However, the battle scars remain—diabetes, insulin dependence, minor heart damage and the lasting effects of fighting COVID-19. Despite the challenges, the couple continues to live life to the fullest, even going on international trips.
Patterson's case is expected to affect many more. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of cases of antibiotic-resistant bacteria will rise to 10 million per year. Patterson's remarkable recovery has led to medical interest in the use of phage viruses, including clinical trials for their use. Starthdi and her colleague, Dr. Robert "Chip" Scully, founded the Center for Phage Applications and Innovative Therapies (IPATH) in San Diego, achieving an impressive success rate in treating patients with drug-resistant infections.
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