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Shi Z, Hong X, Li Z, Zhang M, Zhou J, Zhao Z, Qiu S, Liu G. Characterization of the novel broad-spectrum lytic phage Phage_Pae01 and its antibiofilm efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1386830. [PMID: 39091310 PMCID: PMC11292732 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1386830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pseudomonas aeruginosa is present throughout nature and is a common opportunistic pathogen in the human body. Carbapenem antibiotics are typically utilized as a last resort in the clinical treatment of multidrug-resistant infections caused by P. aeruginosa. The increase in carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa poses an immense challenge for the treatment of these infections. Bacteriophages have the potential to be used as antimicrobial agents for treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Methods and Results In this study, a new virulent P. aeruginosa phage, Phage_Pae01, was isolated from hospital sewage and shown to have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against clinical P. aeruginosa isolates (83.6%). These clinical strains included multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the phage possessed an icosahedral head of approximately 80 nm and a long tail about 110 m, indicating that it belongs to the Myoviridae family of the order Caudovirales. Biological characteristic analysis revealed that Phage_Pae01 could maintain stable activity in the temperature range of 4~ 60°C and pH range of 4 ~ 10. According to the in vitro lysis kinetics of the phage, Phage_Pae01 demonstrated strong antibacterial activity. The optimal multiplicity of infection was 0.01. The genome of Phage_Pae01 has a total length of 93,182 bp and contains 176 open reading frames (ORFs). The phage genome does not contain genes related to virulence or antibiotic resistance. In addition, Phage_Pae01 effectively prevented the formation of biofilms and eliminated established biofilms. When Phage_Pae01 was combined with gentamicin, it significantly disrupted established P. aeruginosa biofilms. Conclusion We identified a novel P. aeruginosa phage and demonstrated its effective antimicrobial properties against P. aeruginosa in both the floating and biofilm states. These findings offer a promising approach for the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Shi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- National Key Clinical Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Hong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zexuan Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meijuan Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhe Zhao
- College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shengfeng Qiu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Genyan Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- National Key Clinical Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Liao YT, Ho KJ, Zhang Y, Salvador A, Wu VCH. A new Rogue-like Escherichia phage UDF157lw to control Escherichia coli O157:H7. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1302032. [PMID: 38318127 PMCID: PMC10838988 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1302032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 is one of the notorious foodborne pathogens causing high mortality through the consumption of contaminated food items. The food safety risk from STEC pathogens could escalate when a group of bacterial cells aggregates to form a biofilm. Bacterial biofilm can diminish the effects of various antimicrobial interventions and enhance the pathogenicity of the pathogens. Therefore, there is an urgent need to have effective control measurements. Bacteriophages can kill the target bacterial cells through lytic infection, and some enzymes produced during the infection have the capability to penetrate the biofilm for mitigation compared to traditional interventions. This study aimed to characterize a new Escherichia phage vB_EcoS-UDF157lw (or UDF157lw) and determine its antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli O157:H7. Methods Phage characterization included biological approaches, including phage morphology, one-step growth curve, stability tests (pH and temperature), and genomic approaches (whole-genome sequencing). Later, antimicrobial activity tests, including productive infection against susceptible bacterial strains, in vitro antimicrobial activity, and anti-biofilm, were conducted. Results UDF157lw is a new member of the phages belonging to the Rogunavirus genus, comprising a long and non-contractile tail, isolated from bovine feces and shares close genomic evolutionary similarities with Escherichia phages vB_EcoS-BECP10 and bV_EcoS_AKS96. When used against E. coli O157:H7 (ATCC35150), phage UDF157lw exhibited a latent period of 14 min and a burst size of 110 PFU per infected cell. The phage remained viable in a wide range of pH values (pH 4-11) and temperatures (4-60°C). No virulence genes, such as stx, lysogenic genes, and antibiotic resistance genes, were found. Phage UDF157lw demonstrated high infection efficiencies against different E. coli O157:H7 and generic E. coli strains. In addition, UDF157lw encoded a unique major tail protein (ORF_26) with prominent depolymerase enzyme activity against various E. coli O157:H7 strains, causing large plaque sizes. In contrast to the phage without encoding depolymerase gene, UDF157lw was able to reduce the 24-h and 48-h E. coli O157:H7 biofilm after 1-h phage treatment. Discussion The findings of this study provide insights into a new member of the Rogunavirus phages and demonstrate its antimicrobial potential against E. coli O157:H7 in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Vivian C. H. Wu
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA, United States
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Akturk E, Melo LD, Oliveira H, Crabbé A, Coenye T, Azeredo J. Combining phages and antibiotic to enhance antibiofilm efficacy against an in vitro dual species wound biofilm. Biofilm 2023; 6:100147. [PMID: 37662851 PMCID: PMC10474582 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic wound management is extremely challenging because of the persistence of biofilm-forming pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, which are the prevailing bacterial species that co-infect chronic wounds. Phage therapy has gained an increased interest to treat biofilm-associated infections, namely when combined with antibiotics. Here, we tested the effect of gentamicin as a co-adjuvant of phages in a dual species-biofilm wound model formed on artificial dermis. The biofilm-killing capacity of the tested treatments was significantly increased when phages were combined with gentamicin and applied multiple times as multiple dose (three doses, every 8 h). Our results suggest that gentamycin is an effective adjuvant of phage therapy particularly when applied simultaneously with phages and in three consecutive doses. The multiple and simultaneous dose treatment seems to be essential to avoid bacterial resistance development to each of the antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ergun Akturk
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS – Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Luís D.R. Melo
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS – Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
- ESCMID Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), Switzerland
| | - Hugo Oliveira
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS – Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
- ESCMID Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Crabbé
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology (LPM), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom Coenye
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology (LPM), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- ESCMID Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), Switzerland
| | - Joana Azeredo
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS – Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
- ESCMID Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), Switzerland
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Oluwarinde BO, Ajose DJ, Abolarinwa TO, Montso PK, Du Preez I, Njom HA, Ateba CN. Safety Properties of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Specific Bacteriophages: Recent Advances for Food Safety. Foods 2023; 12:3989. [PMID: 37959107 PMCID: PMC10650914 DOI: 10.3390/foods12213989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is typically detected on food products mainly due to cross-contamination with faecal matter. The serotype O157:H7 has been of major public health concern due to the severity of illness caused, prevalence, and management. In the food chain, the main methods of controlling contamination by foodborne pathogens often involve the application of antimicrobial agents, which are now becoming less efficient. There is a growing need for the development of new approaches to combat these pathogens, especially those that harbour antimicrobial resistant and virulent determinants. Strategies to also limit their presence on food contact surfaces and food matrices are needed to prevent their transmission. Recent studies have revealed that bacteriophages are useful non-antibiotic options for biocontrol of E. coli O157:H7 in both animals and humans. Phage biocontrol can significantly reduce E. coli O157:H7, thereby improving food safety. However, before being certified as potential biocontrol agents, the safety of the phage candidates must be resolved to satisfy regulatory standards, particularly regarding phage resistance, antigenic properties, and toxigenic properties. In this review, we provide a general description of the main virulence elements of E. coli O157:H7 and present detailed reports that support the proposals that phages infecting E. coli O157:H7 are potential biocontrol agents. This paper also outlines the mechanism of E. coli O157:H7 resistance to phages and the safety concerns associated with the use of phages as a biocontrol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bukola Opeyemi Oluwarinde
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mahikeng 2375, South Africa; (B.O.O.); (D.J.A.); (T.O.A.); (P.K.M.)
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Phage Bio-Control Research Group (AREPHABREG), Department of Microbiology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2735, South Africa
| | - Daniel Jesuwenu Ajose
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mahikeng 2375, South Africa; (B.O.O.); (D.J.A.); (T.O.A.); (P.K.M.)
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Phage Bio-Control Research Group (AREPHABREG), Department of Microbiology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2735, South Africa
| | - Tesleem Olatunde Abolarinwa
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mahikeng 2375, South Africa; (B.O.O.); (D.J.A.); (T.O.A.); (P.K.M.)
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Phage Bio-Control Research Group (AREPHABREG), Department of Microbiology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2735, South Africa
| | - Peter Kotsoana Montso
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mahikeng 2375, South Africa; (B.O.O.); (D.J.A.); (T.O.A.); (P.K.M.)
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Phage Bio-Control Research Group (AREPHABREG), Department of Microbiology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2735, South Africa
| | - Ilse Du Preez
- Centre for Human Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa;
| | - Henry Akum Njom
- Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X1251, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa;
| | - Collins Njie Ateba
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mahikeng 2375, South Africa; (B.O.O.); (D.J.A.); (T.O.A.); (P.K.M.)
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Phage Bio-Control Research Group (AREPHABREG), Department of Microbiology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2735, South Africa
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An in vitro fermentation model to study the impact of bacteriophages targeting Shiga toxin-encoding Escherichia coli on the colonic microbiota. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:74. [PMID: 36163472 PMCID: PMC9512901 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00334-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lytic bacteriophages are considered safe for human consumption as biocontrol agents against foodborne pathogens, in particular in ready-to-eat foodstuffs. Phages could, however, evolve to infect different hosts when passing through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This underlines the importance of understanding the impact of phages towards colonic microbiota, particularly towards bacterial families usually found in the colon such as the Enterobacteriaceae. Here we propose in vitro batch fermentation as model for initial safety screening of lytic phages targeting Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). As inoculum we used faecal material of three healthy donors. To assess phage safety, we monitored fermentation parameters, including short chain fatty acid production and gas production/intake by colonic microbiota. We performed shotgun metagenomic analysis to evaluate the outcome of phage interference with colonic microbiota composition and functional potential. During the 24 h incubation, concentrations of phage and its host were also evaluated. We found the phage used in this study, named E. coli phage vB_EcoS_Ace (Ace), to be safe towards human colonic microbiota, independently of the donors’ faecal content used. This suggests that individuality of donor faecal microbiota did not interfere with phage effect on the fermentations. However, the model revealed that the attenuated STEC strain used as phage host perturbed the faecal microbiota as based on metagenomic analysis, with potential differences in metabolic output. We conclude that the in vitro batch fermentation model used in this study is a reliable safety screening for lytic phages intended to be used as biocontrol agents.
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McMahon TC, Kingombe CB, Mathews A, Seyer K, Wong A, Blais BW, Carrillo CD. Microbial Antagonism in Food-Enrichment Culture: Inhibition of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Shigella Species. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:880043. [PMID: 35814680 PMCID: PMC9259949 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.880043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens, such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Shigella spp., are important causes of foodborne illness internationally. Recovery of these organisms from foods is critical for food safety investigations to support attribution of illnesses to specific food commodities; however, isolation of bacterial cultures can be challenging. Methods for the isolation of STEC and Shigella spp. from foods typically require enrichment to amplify target organisms to detectable levels. Yet, during enrichment, target organisms can be outcompeted by other bacteria in food matrices due to faster growth rates, or through production of antimicrobial agents such as bacteriocins or bacteriophages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Shigella and STEC inhibitors produced by food microbiota. The production of antimicrobial compounds in cell-free extracts from 200 bacterial strains and 332 food-enrichment broths was assessed. Cell-free extracts produced by 23 (11.5%) of the strains tested inhibited growth of at least one of the five Shigella and seven STEC indicator strains used in this study. Of the 332 enrichment broths tested, cell-free extracts from 25 (7.5%) samples inhibited growth of at least one of the indicator strains tested. Inhibition was most commonly associated with E. coli recovered from meat products. Most of the inhibiting compounds were determined to be proteinaceous (34 of the 48 positive samples, 71%; including 17 strains, 17 foods) based on inactivation by proteolytic enzymes, indicating presence of bacteriocins. The cell-free extracts from 13 samples (27%, eight strains, five foods) were determined to contain bacteriophages based on the observation of plaques in diluted extracts and/or resistance to proteolytic enzymes. These results indicate that the production of inhibitors by food microbiota may be an important challenge for the recovery of foodborne pathogens, particularly for Shigella sonnei. The performance of enrichment media for recovery of Shigella and STEC could be improved by mitigating the impact of inhibitors produced by food microbiota during the enrichment process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanis C. McMahon
- Research and Development, Ottawa Laboratory (Carling), Ontario Laboratory Network, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Amit Mathews
- Microbiology, Greater Toronto Area Laboratory, Ontario Laboratory Network, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karine Seyer
- Microbiology (Food), St-Hyacinthe Laboratory, Eastern Laboratories Network, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Alex Wong
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Burton W. Blais
- Research and Development, Ottawa Laboratory (Carling), Ontario Laboratory Network, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Catherine D. Carrillo
- Research and Development, Ottawa Laboratory (Carling), Ontario Laboratory Network, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Catherine D. Carrillo,
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Phage Cocktail Targeting STEC O157:H7 Has Comparable Efficacy and Superior Recovery Compared with Enrofloxacin in an Enteric Murine Model. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0023222. [PMID: 35536028 PMCID: PMC9241756 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00232-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
O157:H7 is the most important Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serotype in relation to public health. Given that antibiotics may contribute to the exacerbation of STEC-related disease and an increased frequency of antibiotic-resistant strains, bacteriophage (phage) therapy is considered a promising alternative. However, phage therapy targeting enteric pathogens is still underdeveloped with many confounding effects from the microbiota. Here we comprehensively compared the therapeutic efficacy of a phage cocktail with the antibiotic enrofloxacin in a mouse model of STEC O157:H7 EDL933 infection. Enrofloxacin treatment provided 100% survival and the phage cocktail treatment provided 90% survival. However, in terms of mouse recovery, the phage cocktail outperformed enrofloxacin in all measured outcomes. Compared with enrofloxacin treatment, phage treatment led to a faster elimination of enteric pathogens, decreased expression levels of inflammatory markers, increased weight gain, maintenance of a stable relative organ weight, and improved homeostasis of the gut microbiota. These results provide support for the potential of phage therapy to combat enteric pathogens and suggest that phage treatment leads to enhanced recovery of infected mice compared with antibiotics. IMPORTANCE With the increasing severity of antibiotic resistance and other adverse consequences, animal experiments and clinical trials investigating the use of phages for the control and prevention of enteric bacterial infections are growing. However, the effects of phages and antibiotics on organisms when treating intestinal infections have not been precisely studied. Here, we comprehensively compared the therapeutic efficacy of a phage cocktail to the antibiotic enrofloxacin in a mouse model of STEC O157:H7 EDL933 infection. We found that, despite a slightly lower protection rate, phage treatment contributed to a faster recovery of infected mice compared with enrofloxacin. These results highlight the potential benefits of phage therapy to combat enteric infections.
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