In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of the Potential of <i>Escherichia coli</i> Phages to Treat Infections and Survive Gastric Conditions

• Main Authors: Joanna Kaczorowska, Eoghan Casey, Gabriele A. Lugli, Marco Ventura, David J. Clarke, Douwe van Sinderen, Jennifer Mahony
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
• Series: Microorganisms
• Subjects: phage therapy; prophylactic; infections; <i>Galleria mellonella</i>; diarrheagenic <i>Escherichia coli</i>
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/9/1869

Enterotoxigenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> (ETEC) and <i>Shigella</i> ssp. infections are associated with high rates of mortality, especially in infants in developing countries. Due to increasing levels of global antibiotic resistance exhibited by many pathogenic organisms, alternative strategies to combat such infections are urgently required. In this study, we evaluated the stability of five coliphages (four <i>Myoviridae</i> and one <i>Siphoviridae</i> phage) over a range of pH conditions and in simulated gastric conditions. The <i>Myoviridae</i> phages were stable across the range of pH 2 to 7, while the <i>Siphoviridae</i> phage, JK16, exhibited higher sensitivity to low pH. A composite mixture of these five phages was tested in vivo in a <i>Galleria mellonella</i> model. The obtained data clearly shows potential in treating <i>E. coli</i> infections prophylactically.