Isolation and characterization of a phage against the multidrug-resistant Candida albicans ATCC 10231 strain from raw...

The financial cost of resistance to antibiotics is constantly increasing. Viruses are possible substitutes and effective treatments for diseases caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. The aim of the present study is to isolate a Candida albicans virus from raw sewage and characterize it. Herein, direct and enrichment approaches were used for virus isolation from a raw sewage sample collected from the El-Rahmania wastewater treatment plant, El-Behiera Governorate, Egypt. Using a transmission electron microscope, the viral particle was found to have a hexagonal head with a diameter of approximately 160 nm and a short tail with a length of 87 nm. The virus was treated at different temperature ranges (30-90 °C) for 5, 15, 30, and 60 min. The virus titer was stable at 30 °C, 40 °C, and 50 °C for 5-60 min and partially stable at 60 °C, 70 °C, and 80 °C. The virus kept its activity at a wide range between pH 5-10, while it was completely inactivated in highly acidic (pH < 5) and alkaline (pH > 10) conditions. The effect of osmotic shock on the isolated virus showed 64 % survivability. The effects of five organic solvents on viral particles-chloroform, ethanol, methanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and ethyl acetate-showed 0.7, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.7 log₁₀ reductions in initial viral titer, respectively. This study provided new information about the characterization of the virus isolated against Candida albicans, which will be useful for future formulation of a successful therapeutic viral agent against Candida albicans.