Bacteriophage Therapy To Reduce Salmonella Colonization of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Acute enteric infections caused by salmonellas remain a major public health burden worldwide. Poultry, particularly chickens, are known to be the main reservoir for this zoonotic pathogen. Although some progress has been made in reducing Salmonella colonization of broiler chickens by using biosecurity and antimicrobials, it still remains a considerable problem. The use of host-specific bacteriophages as a biocontrol is one possible intervention by which Salmonella colonization could be reduced. A total of 232 Salmonella bacteriophages were isolated from poultry farms, abattoirs, and wastewater in 2004 and 2005. Three phages exhibiting the broadest host ranges against Salmonella enterica serotypes Enteritidis, Hadar, and Typhimurium were characterized further by determining their morphology and lytic activity in vitro. These phages were then administered in antacid suspension to birds experimentally colonized with specific Salmonella host strains. The first phage reduced S. enterica serotype Enteritidis cecal colonization by >4.2 log 10 CFU within 24 h compared with controls. Administration of the second phage reduced S. enterica serotype Typhimurium by >2.19 log 10 CFU within 24 h. The third bacteriophage was ineffective at reducing S. enterica serotype Hadar colonization. Bacteriophage resistance occurred at a frequency commensurate with the titer of phage being administered, with larger phage titers resulting in a greater proportion of resistant salmonellas. The selection of appropriate bacteriophages and optimization of both the timing and method of phage delivery are key factors in the successful phage-mediated control of salmonellas in broiler chickens.

Assessing the impact of bacteriophages in the treatment of Salmonella in broiler chickens

“…Thus, bacteriophage treatment has a significant effect in reducing colonization of both S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium in cecum of broiler chickens as previously suggested by Atterbury et al [28]. …”

Efficacy of a Broad Host Range Lytic Bacteriophage Against E. coli Adhered to Urothelium

“…Also, the use of bacteriophages as an alternative to antibiotherapy is again redrawing attention. A considerable number of publications demonstrate that phage preparations for veterinary purposes can efficiently control the bacterial loads in infected animals [2][3][4][5] and strongly supports the concept of phage therapy as an alternative or complementary strategy to antibiotherapy. Furthermore, orally administered phages have been recovered from the blood and physical fluids, including urine [6,7] and phages administered by intraperitoneal injection have been detected in different organs, such as: liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, muscles, brain, and blood [8].…”

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy To Study Diffusion and Reaction of Bacteriophages inside Biofilms

“…Because of this biological activity, phages are of considerable biotechnological interest (e.g., due to their antimicrobial activity) in the fields of health and agriculture (1,26). The emergence of pathogenic bacteria resistant to antimicrobial agents has highlighted the need for alternative means to treat human and animal bacterial infections.…”

“…The emergence of pathogenic bacteria resistant to antimicrobial agents has highlighted the need for alternative means to treat human and animal bacterial infections. In this context, there are new prospects for phage therapy in the form of the application or ingestion of phage particles as an alternative to antibiotics (1,11,14,21,32,35,41,48,51). A recent major breakthrough for phage therapy was the approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of a cocktail of bacteriophages as a treatment for Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products (5).…”