Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice
Published on: January 26, 2024
Safety of using Escherichia coli bacteriophages as a sanitizing agent based on inflammatory responses in rats
Ji-Yeon Hwang1, Jung-Eun Kim2, Yoon-Jae Song2
11Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Gachon University, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, 13120 Korea.
Abstract:
Use of bacteriophages as sanitizing agents has received much attention. However, safety in humans is debatable. To determine inflammatory immune responses against bacteriophages, rats were treated with a 8 log plaque-forming cocktail of 5 bacteriophages for pathogenic Escherichia coli per day for 4 weeks. Food consumption, feeding efficiency, and body weight of rats treated with the cocktail were not different from controls. Phages were not detected in the sera of phage-fed rats with no changes in organ weights. Notable changes were not observed upon histopathological examination of the liver, kidney, and spleen. Pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression, except COX-2 (2.4x increase), remained unaffected after treatment with the phage cocktail. No remarkable changes were observed for levels of 12 pro-inflammatory cytokines in sera. Inflammatory responses in rats orally treated with a phage cocktail were not observed. Bacteriophages for E. coli are indicated as immunologically safe in rats.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Response
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
Stringent Response in E. coli
Inflammatory Response II: Inflammatory Exudate and Tissue Repair
The typical wound exudate is odorless, transparent, straw-colored, thin, and watery. Exudate, however, can differ depending on the state of wound healing. Likewise, the...
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
Inflammatory Response I: Vascular and Cellular

