Isolation and characterization of nine bacteriophages that lyse O149 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Vet Microbiol. 2007 Sep 20;124(1-2):47-57. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2007.03.028. Epub 2007 Mar 30.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to isolate and characterize phages that might be used in prevention and treatment of porcine post-weaning diarrhea due to O149 enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). Serotype O149:H10:F4 was especially targeted because this is the dominant ETEC serotype. Mixtures of 10 strains of O149:H10:F4 ETEC and of 10 O149:H43:F4 ETEC were used as hosts for isolation of phages in sewage from 38 Ontario pig farms. Six phages (GJ1-GJ6) that lysed O149:H10:F4 ETEC and three (GJ7-GJ9) that lysed O149:H43:F4 ETEC were isolated. All phages produced large, clear plaques. All nine phages had necks and contractile tails and therefore belonged to the Myoviridae. Their estimated genome sizes were 48.3-50.7kb and their restriction enzyme fragments suggested that they were closely related. Phages GJ1-GJ6 lysed 99-100% of 85 O149:H10:F4 ETEC, 0-12% of 42 O149:H43:F4 ETEC, 3-35% of 37 non-O149 porcine ETEC, and 6-68% of the 72 strains of the ECOR collection. Phages GJ7-GJ9 lysed 86-98% of the O149:H43:F4 ETEC, 2-53% of the O149:H10:F4 ETEC, and 24-41% of the non-O149 porcine ETEC. Titres of the nine phages were unaffected by exposure for 16h to pH 5-9. Among phages GJ1-GJ6, resistance of O149:H10:F4 ETEC to one phage was generally not accompanied by resistance to other phages. It is concluded that the nine phages are suitable candidates for prophylaxis and therapy of porcine post-weaning diarrhea due to O149 ETEC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Coliphages / genetics
  • Coliphages / growth & development
  • Coliphages / isolation & purification*
  • Coliphages / ultrastructure
  • Diarrhea / microbiology
  • Diarrhea / prevention & control
  • Diarrhea / veterinary*
  • Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / classification
  • Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / virology*
  • Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology
  • Escherichia coli Infections / prevention & control
  • Escherichia coli Infections / veterinary*
  • Lysogeny
  • Microscopy, Electron / veterinary
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / microbiology*
  • Swine Diseases / prevention & control
  • Virulence
  • Weaning