Publication details
Interactions of lytic phages and their impact on the antimicrobial efficacy of phage cocktails
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| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Objective: Phage cocktails are used in phage therapy to broaden host range and increase efficiency. Our objective was to assess the efficiency of phage cocktails composed of phages with different infection mechanisms in planktonic and biofilm cultures of S. aureus and investigate interactions among the phages. Methods: S. aureus phages of Kayvirus, Rosenblumvirus, and Triavirus genera were used in cocktails. Biofilms were evaluated by crystal violet staining and microscopy, bacterial lysis was assessed by spectrophotometry, viable cell counts, and flow cytometry. Results: Phage cocktails were more effective than individual phages in both types of bacterial cultures. Enhanced lysis by the three-phage cocktail was particularly evident in a clinical isolate. The impact of phages on biofilm was further validated by flow cytometry and microscopy. Conclusion: Phage therapy has been shown to be a viable alternative to antibiotics and is further improved by using phage cocktails. However, it is important to study the interactions among the phages used to analyze their impact on the preparation efficacy. Here, we demonstrated the high efficacy of cocktails of phages with various morphologies against planktonic cells and biofilms, indicating that phages with distinct infection strategies can be combined effectively. This research was supported by a Grant from Masaryk University MUNI/A/1759/2025. |
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