Abstract
ShigaShield™ is a phage preparation composed of five lytic bacteriophages that specifically target pathogenic Shigella species found in contaminated waters and foods. In this study, we examined the efficacy of various doses (9x105-9x107 PFU/g) of ShigaShield™ in removing experimentally added Shigella on deli meat, smoked salmon, pre-cooked chicken, lettuce, melon and yogurt. The highest dose (2x107 or 9x107 PFU/g) of ShigaShield™ applied to each food type resulted in at least 1 log (90%) reduction of Shigella in all the food types. There was significant (P<0.01) reduction in the Shigella levels in all phage treated foods compared to controls, except for the lowest phage dose (9x105 PFU/g) on melon where reduction was only ca. 45% (0.25 log). The genomes of each component phage in the cocktail were fully sequenced and analyzed, and they were found not to contain any “undesirable genes” including those listed in the US Code for Federal Regulations (40 CFR Ch1). Our data suggest that ShigaShield™ (and similar phage preparations with potent lytic activity against Shigella spp.) may offer a safe and effective approach for reducing the levels of Shigella in various foods that may be contaminated with the bacterium.
Highlights
Shigella is an important cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, causing approximately 125 million Shigella infections / year and an estimated 14,000 deaths, mostly among children
[20] Since that publication, the cocktail was tested for its activity against an additional 36 multidrug-resistant Shigella strains obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
All new strains were resistant to at least 3 of the antibiotics tested by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) (Nancy Strockbine, personal communication)
Summary
Shigella is an important cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, causing approximately 125 million Shigella infections / year and an estimated 14,000 deaths, mostly among children
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