Characterization of Transducing Bacteriophages Identified in Some Multi-Antibiotic Resistant Pathogenic Bacteria.

Abstract

Proteus mirabilis is a member of Enterobacteriaceae family. It is a facultative anaerobic gram-negative bacilli, which is an opportunistic pathogen and is known to cause septicemia, meningitis, wound infections, burn infections and urinary tract infections. This bacteria is associated with development of renal stones in patients with urinary tract infections. Current practice of treatment of bacterial infections is the use of antibiotics. But many of the bacterial pathogens are turning resistant to antibiotic regimes which is a serious problem not only in medical sector but also in food and industrial sector as well. An alternative potential technique in the age of multi-drug resistance is the use of Phage therapy. Unlike antibiotics, phages are host specific and usually less toxic as compared to antibiotics. The aim of the study is to isolate bacteriophages specific to Proteus mirabilis from sewage by standard techniques. The isolated phages will be harvested, purified and stored which can later be used for therapeutic purposes.

Morganella morganii has been identified as a causative agent of opportunistic infections like diarrhea, wound infections, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and sepsis. The aim of the study is to isolate bacteriophages specific to Morganella morganii from sewage by standard techniques. The isolated phages will be harvested, purified and stored which can later be used for therapeutic purposes.

Phage therapy is an alternative treatment to antibiotics that can overcome multi-drug resistant bacteria. In this study, we aimed to isolate and characterize bacteriophages against Morganella Morganii and Proteus Mirabilis. Bacteriophages O1 and S1 were isolated from concentrated wastewater collected from  sewage.

Four phages of proteus mirabilis were isolated and three phages of Morganella  morganii were isolated.  phages were further  characterized on the basis of plaque morphology, host range, serology,  adsorption, latent period, thermal inactivation and pH stability.

morphological analysis with transmission electron microscopy show that M. morganii phages were identified as a Myoviridae bacteriophages while p.mirabilis were identified as a  podoviridae and myoviridae bacteriophages.