Bioprospección de bacteriófagos líticos de Salmonella enterica multirresistente de origen avícola de la provincia de Tungurahua

Abstract

The use of bacteriophages has emerged as a promising alternative to address the antimicrobial resistance crisis, driven by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in the poultry industry. This study isolated lytic bacteriophages specific to multi-resistant S. enterica of poultry origin in Tungurahua province from contaminated water sources and evaluated them based on their lytic profiles and low-temperature stability. Under the Microbiology and Biotechnology research line, the isolation and purification of bacteriophages was carried out using two strains of S. enterica serovar Infantis, by the double-layer agar method. Lytic profiles were evaluated by the gout test. The stability of the bacteriophages was tested through the reduction of the phage titre, at refrigeration and freezing temperatures, with pH 5.5 and 7.2. We isolated a total of 27 bacteriophages. Evaluation against 38 Salmonella isolates from poultry and five different S. enterica serovars revealed seven bacteriophages with a broad host range. Stability tests of bacteriophages F6, F7M1, and F4M1B, showed that temperature and pH significantly influenced phage titer reduction and bacterial lysis, underscoring the importance of understanding bacteriophages stability conditions for successful application. The results highlight the potential use of these lytic bacteriophages in designing biocontrol products for the poultry industry.