Isolation and Characterization of a Phage to Control Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus Faecium

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bacteriology
• Phage Therapy

Background:

• Enterococcus faecium is a significant nosocomial pathogen, frequently exhibiting multidrug resistance (MDR), particularly vancomycin resistance.
• The ubiquity of E. faecium in human and hospital environments complicates its eradication.
• Phage therapy presents a promising strategy for combating MDR bacterial infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a lytic bacteriophage targeting vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF).
• To evaluate the efficacy of the isolated phage as a control agent against VREF in various conditions.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of bacteriophage STH1 from hospital wastewater.
• Characterization of phage STH1's adsorption, growth kinetics, and optimal environmental conditions (temperature, pH, ions).
• Assessment of phage STH1's efficacy in controlling VREF growth in milk and water.

Main Results:

• Phage STH1 was isolated and demonstrated high specificity for VREF.
• Magnesium and calcium ions enhanced phage adsorption.
• Optimal conditions for phage STH1 were determined as 37°C and pH 7.0, with a latent period of 18 min and burst size of 334 virions/cell.
• Phage STH1 significantly inhibited VREF growth in both milk and water.

Conclusions:

• Phage STH1 is a potent lytic bacteriophage effective against VREF.
• The characterized phage STH1 holds potential as a biocontrol agent for VREF in clinical settings and environmental decontamination.
• Further research into phage STH1 could lead to novel therapeutic strategies against resistant enterococcal infections.