Isolation of phages against Streptococcus species in the oral cavity for potential control of dental diseases and associated systemic complications.

Abstract

Dental infections and systemic complications caused by Streptococcus species in the oral cavity are increasingly exhibiting resistance to commonly used antibiotics, posing a potential threat to global public health. Phage therapy may offer a superior alternative, given that bacteriophages can be easily isolated and rapidly replicate in large numbers. In this study, six Streptococcus species from the oral cavity were characterized. Bacteriophages isolated from wastewater using five of these species as hosts produced plaques ranging from 0.2 to 2.4mm in size. The phages demonstrated stability within a temperature range of 4℃ to 37℃. However, at temperatures exceeding 45℃, a noticeable reduction in bacteriophage titer was observed. Similarly, the phages showed greater stability within a pH range of 5 to 10. The isolated phages exhibited latency periods ranging from 15 to 20min and had burst sizes varying from 10 to 200 viral particles. This study supports the potential use of bacteriophages in controlling infections caused by Streptococcus species.