Controlling foodborne pathogenic Citrobacter freundii via lytic bacteriophages

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Agricultural Microbiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, 82524 Sohag, Egypt

2 Food Science and Nutrition Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, 82524 Sohag, Egypt

3 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University, 61519 Minia, Egypt

Abstract

Recently, foodborne diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria have been expanding. This requires searching for ways to control or get rid of these diseases. Using bacteriophages to control, prevent, and treatment of foodborne diseases is one of the most important actions due to their killer effect on bacteria. Many species of pathogenic bacteria can be transmitted through food, including Citrobacter freundii which can cause food poisoning, urethritis, abscess, and meningitis in infants. This study aimed to isolate and characterize bacteriophages specific to Citrobacter freundii to be used to control the contamination of food with Citrobacter freundii. C. freundii and its specific bacteriophages were isolated from sewage water. Isolated phages were found to be belonging to two phage species. These two phages had a head and tail and were designated Citro 1 and Citro 2. Phage Citro 1 has a long contractile tail and Citro 2 has a long non-contractile tail. Therefore, they were classified into Family Myoviridae and Family Siphoviridae, respectively. Application of bacteriophages to green salad artificially contaminated with C. freundii resulted in a high reduction in the density of C. freundii in green salad kept at both room temperature and at 4°C. Moreover, when the density of C. freundii decreased the number of phage particles increased.  Such results may indicate that bacteriophages can be used to control the contamination of foodstuffs with pathogenic bacteria.  

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