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Patent Pending A bacteriophage /ˈbækˈtɪər.i.oʊˌfeɪdʒ/ (informally, phage /ˈfeɪdʒ/) is a virus that infects and replicates within a bacterium. The term is derived from "bacteria" and the Greek: φαγεῖν (phagein), "to devour". Bacteriophages are composed of proteins that encapsulate a DNA or RNA genome, and may have relatively simple or elaborate structures.