Characterization of a Bacteriophage GEC_vB_Bfr_UZM3 Active against <i>Bacteroides fragilis</i>

oleh: Nata Bakuradze, Maia Merabishvili, Ia Kusradze, Pieter-Jan Ceyssens, Jolien Onsea, Willem-Jan Metsemakers, Nino Grdzelishvili, Guliko Natroshvili, Tamar Tatrishvili, Davit Lazvliashvili, Nunu Mitskevich, Jean-Paul Pirnay, Nina Chanishvili

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2023-04-01

Deskripsi

<i>Bacteroides fragilis</i> is a commensal gut bacterium that is associated with a number of blood and tissue infections. It has not yet been recognized as one of the drug-resistant human pathogens, but cases of the refractory infections, caused by strains that are not susceptible to the common antibiotic regimes established for <i>B. fragilis,</i> have been more frequently reported. Bacteriophages (phages) were found to be a successful antibacterial alternative to antibiotic therapy in many cases of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. We have characterized the bacteriophage GEC_vB_Bfr_UZM3 (UZM3), which was used for the treatment of a patient with a chronic osteomyelitis caused by a <i>B. fragilis</i> mixed infection. Studied biological and morphological properties of UZM3 showed that it seems to represent a strictly lytic phage belonging to a siphovirus morphotype. It is characterized by high stability at body temperature and in pH environments for about 6 h. Whole genome sequencing analysis of the phage UZM3 showed that it does not harbor any known virulence genes and can be considered as a potential therapeutic phage to be used against <i>B. fragilis</i> infections.