Abstract
Multidrug-resistant community-acquired infections caused by the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa are increasingly reported in India and other locations globally. Since this organism is ubiquitous in the environment, samples such as sewage and wastewater are rich reservoirs of P. aeruginosa bacteriophages. In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of a novel P. aeruginosa N4-like lytic bacteriophage, vB_Pae_AM.P2 (AM.P2), from wastewater in Kerala, India. AM.P2 is a double-stranded DNA podovirus that efficiently lyses the model strain, PAO1, at a multiplicity of infection as low as 0.1 phage per bacterium and resistance frequency of 6.59 × 10-4 Synergy in bactericidal activity was observed between AM.P2 and subinhibitory concentrations of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Genome sequencing of AM.P2 revealed features similar to those of the N4-like P. aeruginosa phages LUZ7 and KPP21. As judged by two independent assay methods, spot tests and growth inhibition, AM.P2 successfully inhibited the growth of almost 30% of strains from a contemporary collection of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from South India. Thus, AM.P2 may represent an intriguing candidate for inclusion in bacteriophage cocktails developed for various applications, including water decontamination and clinical bacteriophage therapy.IMPORTANCE In India, multidrug resistance determinants are much more abundant in community-associated bacterial pathogens due to the improper treatment of domestic and industrial effluents. In particular, a high bacterial load of the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa in sewage and water bodies in India is well documented. The isolation and characterization of bacteriophages that could target emerging P. aeruginosa strains, representing possible epicenters for community-acquired infections, could serve as a useful alternative tool for various applications, such as phage therapy and environmental treatment. Continuing to supplement the repertoire of broad-spectrum bacteriophages is an essential tool in confronting this problem.
Highlights
IMPORTANCE In India, multidrug resistance determinants are much more abundant in community-associated bacterial pathogens due to the improper treatment of domestic and industrial effluents
We provide the wholegenome sequence of phage AM.P2 and demonstrate its efficacy against multidrug resistance (MDR) P. aeruginosa clinical isolates in consideration of its inclusion in the repertoire of potential antipseudomonal phage therapeutics
Expanding the phage repertoire is beneficial for the scientific and medical communities, and AM.P2, a Pseudomonas aeruginosa N4-like phage isolated from sewage wastewater, is an intriguing candidate phage to add to the arsenal of known phages to be used for varied applications
Summary
IMPORTANCE In India, multidrug resistance determinants are much more abundant in community-associated bacterial pathogens due to the improper treatment of domestic and industrial effluents. A high bacterial load of the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa in sewage and water bodies in India is well documented. While hospital-acquired infections are common throughout the world, community-acquired P. aeruginosa diseases are more likely to occur in developing countries, like India, where large human populations coexist with ineffective effluent management and a lack of adequate drinking water, providing extensive exposure and the potential for rapid dissemination. India has an extremely high incidence of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, partly attributed to the improper treatment of effluents from residential areas, pharmaceutical industries, and hospitals [5,6,7]. Since MDR P. aeruginosa strains are prevalent in sewage and rivers in India, we concluded that bacteriophages targeting these bacteria would thrive there as well. We provide the wholegenome sequence of phage AM.P2 and demonstrate its efficacy against MDR P. aeruginosa clinical isolates in consideration of its inclusion in the repertoire of potential antipseudomonal phage therapeutics
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