Abstract

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major threat to human health. It is considered to be a Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) pathogen capable of causing a variety of diseases. MRSA is also one of the most important nosocomial pathogens in burn infection. As a treatment strategy against MRSA infections phage therapy has the potential of becoming alternative remedy. Thus, the aim of present study was to isolate and characterize lytic bacteriophage from hospital sewage effective against burn wounds infecting MRSA isolates. Materials and methods: Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated from hospitalized burnt patients. Strains were confirmed as MRSA by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion tests to penicillin, methicillin, and oxacillin and also PCR assay for mecA gene. Phage was isolated from hospital sewage sample and tittered by Double Layer Agar (DLA) method. Spot test was used for host range determination. The latent period and burst size were estimated from one step growth curve. Phage morphology was observed by electron microscopy. The nature of the nucleic acid of isolated bacteriophage was confirmed by using Rnase A, Dnase I and 6 restriction enzymes. Results: The titer, latent period and burst size of the isolated phage was determined to be 1×109 PFU/ml, 20 min and 190 PFU per infected cell, respectively. It displayed a wide host range for MRSA bacteria by spot test (27 isolate from 30).Electron microscopy observation demonstrated that the phage belonged myoviridea family. Digestion profiles of Rnase A, Dnase I and XbaI restriction enzyme on 1% agarose gel Electrophoresis, show that the genome of isolated phage was a double-stranded DNA with a size of <∼43 kbp. Conclusion: The isolated phage was active against a wide range of MRSA strains recovered from burnt patients. Therefore it can be considered as a suitable candidate for use in prophylaxis and treatment of these clinical infections and for the preparation of anti-staphylococcal cocktails.

Highlights

  • The increasing appearance of multi-drug resistant (MDR) microorganisms in clinics is a rising serious threat to human health [1]

  • Thirty Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates recovered from burnt patient were confirmed by biochemical and molecular tests and chosen for hosts range determination

  • Three of the isolates and an MRSA standard strain were selected for phage isolation

Read more

Summary

Introduction

The increasing appearance of multi-drug resistant (MDR) microorganisms in clinics is a rising serious threat to human health [1]. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an MDR (multi-drug resistant) organism that is resistant to every antibiotic except for Vancomycin It was initially detected during early 1960's in United Kingdom and is regarded as a major hospital acquired pathogen throughout the world [7,8]. Results: The titer, latent period and burst size of the isolated phage was determined to be 1×109 PFU/ml, 20 min and 190 PFU per infected cell, respectively. It displayed a wide host range for MRSA bacteria by spot test (27 isolate from 30).Electron microscopy observation demonstrated that the phage belonged myoviridea family. Conclusion: The isolated phage was active against a wide range of MRSA strains recovered from burnt patients

Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.