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Characterization of an Enterococcus faecalis bacteriophage SFQ1 as a potential therapeutic agent

Fuqiang Song1, Jun Sheng2, Jishan Tan1

  • 1Department of Medical Laboratory, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|July 10, 2023
PubMed

Insights

A novel bacteriophage, vB_EfaS-SFQ1, effectively infects and disrupts biofilms of Enterococcus faecalis. This phage shows promise as a therapeutic alternative to antibiotics for treating E. faecalis infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Enterococcus faecalis is a common human pathogen, particularly problematic due to vancomycin resistance.
  • Limited therapeutic options necessitate alternative treatments for E. faecalis infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize a bacteriophage targeting Enterococcus faecalis.
  • To evaluate the potential of phage therapy against E. faecalis infections and biofilms.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of bacteriophage vB_EfaS-SFQ1 from hospital sewage.
  • Characterization of phage SFQ1, including host range, latent period, and burst size.
  • Assessment of phage SFQ1's efficacy in disrupting E. faecalis biofilms.

Main Results:

  • Phage vB_EfaS-SFQ1 (SFQ1) was isolated and identified as a siphovirus with a broad host range.
  • SFQ1 demonstrated a short latent period (~10 min) and a large burst size (~110 PFU/cell at MOI 0.01).
  • SFQ1 effectively disrupted Enterococcus faecalis biofilms.

Conclusions:

  • Phage SFQ1 is a potent lytic phage against Enterococcus faecalis.
  • SFQ1 exhibits characteristics suitable for phage therapy applications.
  • This phage holds significant potential for developing novel treatments for E. faecalis infections.
Keywords:
Enterococcus faecalisantibiotic resistancebacteriophagephage therapyvancomycin-resistant

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