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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Bacteriophage Removal from Infected Salmonella Cultures
Published on: June 28, 2024
Isolation, Characterization, and In Vivo Evaluation Efficacy of Lytic Bacteriophage SEP1 Against Salmonella Paratyphi
Zhiyi Ge1,2, Di Lian3, Wei Zhao1,2
1College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China.
Abstract:
Multidrug-resistant Salmonella Paratyphi poses a severe threat to public health. As conventional antibiotics lose efficacy against emerging resistant strains, the need to develop alternative antimicrobial agents has become increasingly urgent. In this study, we isolated and characterized a novel lytic bacteriophage, designated SEP1, from poultry sewage using the S. Paratyphi C strain QH as the host and systematically evaluated its therapeutic potential in a murine infection model Genomic analysis confirmed that SEP1 belongs to the genus Felixounavirus, with an 85,703-bp genome devoid of lysogeny-associated or virulence genes. SEP1 exhibits robust environmental stability, maintaining infectivity at 10-50 °C and pH 4-9; it has a 30 min latent period and a burst size of 133 PFU per infected cell. In vivo, SEP1 treatment conferred 100% survival in infected mice, reduced organ bacterial loads, alleviated tissue damage, and normalized inflammatory cytokine profiles. Collectively, these results demonstrate that SEP1 is a promising candidate for phage therapy targeting S. Paratyphi C infections.
Insights
A novel bacteriophage, SEP1, shows promise for treating multidrug-resistant Salmonella Paratyphi infections. This phage therapy candidate demonstrated 100% survival in mice, offering a potential alternative to antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Multidrug-resistant Salmonella Paratyphi presents a significant public health challenge.
- Conventional antibiotics are becoming less effective against emerging resistant bacterial strains.
- There is an urgent need for alternative antimicrobial strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize a novel lytic bacteriophage for treating Salmonella Paratyphi C infections.
- To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the bacteriophage SEP1 in a murine model.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and characterization of bacteriophage SEP1 from poultry sewage using Salmonella Paratyphi C.
- Genomic analysis of SEP1 to determine its genetic makeup and identify potential virulence factors.
- Assessment of SEP1's environmental stability (temperature, pH) and replication cycle (latent period, burst size).
- In vivo evaluation of SEP1's therapeutic potential in a mouse model of Salmonella Paratyphi C infection.
Main Results:
- SEP1, a lytic bacteriophage belonging to the genus Felixounavirus, was isolated and characterized.
- The SEP1 genome (85,703 bp) lacks lysogeny-associated or virulence genes.
- SEP1 demonstrated stability across a range of temperatures (10-50 °C) and pH levels (4-9), with a 30-minute latent period and a burst size of 133 PFU/cell.
- In vivo, SEP1 treatment resulted in 100% survival of infected mice, reduced bacterial loads in organs, mitigated tissue damage, and normalized inflammatory cytokine levels.
Conclusions:
- Bacteriophage SEP1 is a safe and effective therapeutic agent against Salmonella Paratyphi C.
- SEP1 exhibits favorable characteristics for phage therapy, including environmental stability and a lack of virulence genes.
- SEP1 represents a promising candidate for developing novel phage-based treatments for multidrug-resistant Salmonella Paratyphi infections.
