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Three New Escherichia coli Phages from the Human Gut Show Promising Potential for Phage Therapy

Marion Dalmasso1,2, Ronan Strain1,2, Horst Neve3

  • 1School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Plos One
|June 10, 2016
PubMed

Insights

New bacteriophages (phages) show promise against multi-drug resistant bacteria. A phage cocktail effectively inhibited E. coli growth, reduced biofilms, and prevented resistance, offering a potential biocontrol strategy.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacteriophage Therapy
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Multi-drug resistant bacteria pose a significant global health threat.
  • Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and are being re-evaluated as antimicrobial agents.
  • Phage therapy offers a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize novel bacteriophages from human fecal samples.
  • To evaluate the lytic activity of isolated phages against E. coli.
  • To assess the efficacy of phages in combination with ciprofloxacin and their ability to prevent resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of coliphages from human fecal samples.
  • Phenotypic and genomic characterization of isolated phages.
  • Assessment of lytic activity against E. coli biofilms and in combination with ciprofloxacin.

Main Results:

  • Three novel coliphages (ɸAPCEc01, ɸAPCEc02, ɸAPCEc03) were isolated.
  • A phage cocktail completely inhibited E. coli growth and reduced biofilm formation.
  • The phage cocktail prevented the emergence of phage-resistant mutants, unlike single phages.
  • Combination therapy with ciprofloxacin and phages inhibited E. coli and prevented resistance.

Conclusions:

  • The isolated bacteriophages demonstrate significant lytic activity against E. coli.
  • A phage cocktail is effective in controlling E. coli growth and biofilms.
  • Phage therapy, alone or in combination with antibiotics, is a promising strategy to combat E. coli infections and prevent resistance.

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