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Updated: Jan 20, 2026

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Isolation and characterization of novel lytic bacteriophages against (fluoro)quinolone-resistant Campylobacter

Yuran Elías Calancha-Padrón1, Dayana Perez-Condori1, Marcelo Fernando Gutierrez-Valverde1,2

  • 1Área de Bioquímica Molecular, Instituto de Investigaciones Fármaco Bioquímicas, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|January 19, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Three novel bacteriophages were isolated to combat multidrug-resistant Campylobacter, offering a safe, complementary treatment to antibiotics. These lytic phages show stability and potential for biotechnological applications in fighting antimicrobial resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health crisis, exacerbated by antibiotic overuse in developing nations.
  • Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Campylobacter, particularly fluoroquinolone-resistant strains, poses a significant threat due to potential gene dissemination.
  • Bacteriophages present a promising alternative or complementary therapy to antibiotics for combating MDR bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize novel lytic bacteriophages effective against fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter strains.
  • To assess the genetic safety and lytic nature of the isolated bacteriophages.
  • To evaluate the stability and potential biotechnological applications of these bacteriophages.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of three novel lytic bacteriophages (BMBo_CjP_006, BMBo_CjP_007, BMBo_CjP_009).
  • Genomic analysis to determine genome size, GC-content, and identify coding sequences (CDSs).
  • Assessment of lytic activity against resistant Campylobacter isolates, host range, stability (pH, temperature), and absence of specific genes.

Main Results:

  • Three bacteriophages belonging to the class Caudoviricetes with linear dsDNA genomes (59-77 kb) were successfully isolated.
  • No antibiotic resistance, virulence, or lysogenic genes were detected in the bacteriophages' CDSs, confirming their safety.
  • The bacteriophages exhibited lytic activity against nine fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter strains, including C. jejuni, and demonstrated stability across a wide pH and temperature range.

Conclusions:

  • The novel lytic bacteriophages are genetically safe and effective against MDR Campylobacter, including C. jejuni.
  • Their stability and specific lytic activity make them suitable candidates for therapeutic applications against AMR.
  • These bacteriophages hold potential for biotechnological uses, including product preservation, due to their unique characteristics.
Keywords:
(fluoro-)quinolone resistanceCampylobacter spp.antimicrobial resistancebacteriophageslytic activity

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