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

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Shigella 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 Myoviridae and one Siphoviridae phage) over a range of pH conditions and in simulated gastric conditions. The Myoviridae phages were stable across the range of pH 2 to 7, while the Siphoviridae phage, JK16, exhibited higher sensitivity to low pH. A composite mixture of these five phages was tested in vivo in a Galleria mellonella model. The obtained data clearly shows potential in treating E. coli infections prophylactically.

Automated summary

Research found that among the five coliphages tested, Myoviridae phages showed higher stability across a range of pH levels, while Siphoviridae phage JK16 exhibited greater sensitivity to low pH. The composite mixture of these phages demonstrated potential in prophylactic treatment of E. coli infections in an in vivo model.