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Characterization of a bacteriophage, isolated from a cow with mastitis, that is lytic against Staphylococcus aureus

Magdalena Kwiatek1, Sylwia Parasion, Lidia Mizak

  • 1Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Lubelska Str. 2, 24-100, Puławy, Poland. magda.kwiatek09@gmail.com

Archives of Virology
|November 3, 2011
PubMed

Insights

A novel bacteriophage, MSA6, was characterized for potential use against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This virulent phage shows promise as an alternative therapeutic agent for MRSA infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Antibiotic Resistance

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a leading cause of antibiotic-resistant infections.
  • Novel therapeutic strategies are crucial to combat the growing threat of MRSA.
  • Bacteriophage therapy presents a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a newly isolated virulent bacteriophage, designated MSA6.
  • To evaluate the potential of bacteriophage MSA6 as a therapeutic agent against MRSA.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of bacteriophage MSA6 from a bovine mastitis case.
  • Electron microscopy for morphological analysis.
  • Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for genome size estimation.
  • Adsorption, latent period, and burst size assays.
  • Testing infectivity against a spectrum of staphylococcal strains.

Main Results:

  • Phage MSA6 morphology is consistent with the Myoviridae family (isometric head, contractile tail).
  • Estimated genome size of phage MSA6 is approximately 143 kb.
  • MSA6 demonstrated rapid adsorption (>82% in 5 min), a short latent period (15 min), and a burst size of 23 PFU/cell.
  • The phage effectively infected a broad range of staphylococcal strains from human and bovine sources.

Conclusions:

  • Bacteriophage MSA6 is a virulent phage with characteristics similar to Myoviridae family members.
  • MSA6 shows potential for therapeutic applications against MRSA infections.
  • Further investigation into MSA6 efficacy in bacteriophage therapy is warranted.

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