Bacterial swarming in presence of phages.

Bacteria exhibit a variety of dynamic behaviors, ranging from individual swimming to collective swarming. Populations of swarming bacteria have been studied for the complex patterns they display. Swarming is believed to provide advantages to bacterial populations, including increased antibiotic resistance. Bacterial swarms have been shown to detect antibiotic stress signals and collectively adapt their swarming dynamics. In this study, we investigate the behavior of swarming bacteria under a different form of stress: the presence of lytic phages. Phages pose a lethal threat to bacteria, but in a manner distinct from antibiotics. We are examining both the similarities and differences in the responses of swarming bacteria to these environments, both as individual cells and collective swarms. This comparison is particularly relevant as phage therapy gains traction as a potential treatment for bacterial infections in the face of rising antibiotic resistance.