| Bacteriophages
-History |
|
|
The first report about bacteriophages was made by Hankin in 1890-th.
The scientists fixed antibacterial potential of the waters of Ganges
in India. In 1915 British bacteriologist Frederick Twort isolated
viruses, which can destroy bacterias. In 1917 D’Herele find ‘ a virus
parasitic to bacteria’. He called the virus bacteriophage
bacteria-eater (Phago in greek means to eat). |
|
At
the same time Georgian microbiologist George Eliava was observing the
same phenomenon. Something was destroying bacteria of cholera in the
river Mtkvari (Kura). In 1920-1921 George Eliava was sent to the
Pasteur’s Institute where he met Felix d’Herele and became
familiar with his works.
Later they became close friends. |
 |
|
D'Herele and Eliava |
|
Since
1920-th D’Herele was closely cooperating with George Eliava. He liked
Soviet governments initiative of supporting the science. D’Herele
worked in India where he was producing the preparations of
bacteriophages and used those preparations for preventive measures
mainly for the purification of water and infected areas: springs and
wells. Big quantities of preparations he was sending to Soviet Union
to treat Red Army. |
 |
| George Eliava |
|
Felix
D’herele and Eliava developed a project on establishing the world
center of bacteriophages research in Georgia. The center should have
been equipped clinics.
In
1920-th George Eliava went to Moscow with an idea of establishing in
Georgia the institute, which will study the phenomenon of
bacteriophages. He met Sergo Orjonikidze the Minister of Heavy
Industry of the USSR. In 1923 George Eliava established the Institute
of Bacteriophages in Tbilisi under the Commissariat of Health
Protection of Georgia. |
 |
|
©ICFER S.Orjonikidze and J.Stalin-Soviet
Premier |
|
In
1934 D’Herele visited Georgia. In 1937 George Eliava was arrested by
former Soviet secret police- “Cheka”, as a spy. Later he was
imprisoned and died there. D’ Herele was also charged in espionage and
did not let to the USSR any more.
|
 |
|
©ICFER L.Beria- Georgian Premier during Eliava's arest |
|
In
1938 Georgian Institutes of Microbiology and Epidemiology and
Bacteriophages united into one institute – Institutes of Microbiology
and Epidemiology and Bacteriophages (IMEB).
|
 |
|
©ICFER Institute of Bacteriophages, 1938 |
|
In
1950 the institute became scientific research center for the whole
soviet Union, under the Central Ministry of Health of Soviet Union.
The
bacteriophage processing industrial plants were open in different parts of Soviet Union: Ufa,
Gorky and Khabarovsk.
Now the
Institute is named-G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology,
and Virology, and is a part of Georgian Academy of Sciences.
The
institute is successfully continuing its scientific activities and is
still operating as one of the leading centers on bacteriophages in the
world.
|
 |
|
©ICFER Institute of Bacteriophages, 2004 |
