Host range of 14 mycobacteriophages in Mycobacterium ulcerans and seven other mycobacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis--application for identification and susceptibility testing

J Med Microbiol. 2006 Jan;55(Pt 1):37-42. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.46238-0.

Abstract

The host range of well-characterized mycobacteriophages, such as D29 and TM4, has been determined, together with that of more recently isolated mycobacteriophages, in Mycobacterium ulcerans, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis BCG, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium marinum, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum, Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium chelonae. Here, a set of virulent phages for M. ulcerans, a pathogen with a dramatic increase of incidence over the last decade, is demonstrated. In this work, a mycobacteriophage replication assay was adapted for the identification and rifampicin-susceptibility testing of M. ulcerans. Mycobacteriophages have generated a number of useful tools and enabled insights into mycobacterial genetics. With regard to the neglected pathogen M. ulcerans, the findings presented in this work allow the application of a large range of phage-based vectors and markers. The potential of phage therapy can now be evaluated for this extracellular pathogen.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacteriophage Typing
  • Culture Media
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mycobacteriophages / isolation & purification
  • Mycobacteriophages / physiology*
  • Mycobacterium / classification*
  • Mycobacterium / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium / virology*
  • Mycobacterium marinum / virology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / virology
  • Mycobacterium ulcerans / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium ulcerans / virology*
  • Rifampin / pharmacology*
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Culture Media
  • Rifampin