AUTHOR=Korzeniowski Paweł , Śliwka Paulina , Kuczkowski Maciej , Mišić Dušan , Milcarz Agata , Kuźmińska-Bajor Marta 

TITLE=Bacteriophage Cocktail Can Effectively Control Salmonella Biofilm in Poultry Housing

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.901770

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.901770

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Salmonella enterica</italic> serovar Enteritidis (<italic>S</italic>. Enteritidis) is the major contaminant of poultry products, and its ability to form biofilms on produced food and poultry farm processing surfaces contributes to <italic>Salmonella</italic> transmission to humans. Bacteriophages have come under increasing interest for anti-<italic>Salmonella</italic> biofilm control. In this study, we used the three previously sequenced and described phages UPWr_S1, UPWr_S3, and UPWr_S4 and a phage cocktail, UPWr_S134, containing these three phages to degrade biofilms formed by two <italic>S</italic>. Enteritidis strains, 327 lux and ATCC 13076, <italic>in vitro</italic>. It was found that treatment with bacteriophages significantly reduced biofilm on a 96-well microplate (32–69%) and a stainless steel surface (52–98%) formed by <italic>S</italic>. Enteritidis 327 lux. The reduction of biofilm formed by <italic>S</italic>. Enteritidis ATCC 13076 in the 96-well microplate and on a stainless steel surface for bacteriophage treatment was in the range of 73–87% and 60–97%, respectively. Under laboratory conditions, an experimental model utilizing poultry drinkers artificially contaminated with <italic>S</italic>. Enteritidis 327 lux and treated with UPWr_S134 phage cocktail was applied. In <italic>in vitro</italic> trials, the phage cocktail significantly decreased the number of <italic>Salmonella</italic> on the surface of poultry drinkers. Moreover, the phage cocktail completely eradicated <italic>Salmonella</italic> from the abundant bacterial load on poultry drinkers in an experimentally infected chickens. Therefore, the UPWr_S134 phage cocktail is a promising candidate for <italic>Salmonella</italic> biocontrol at the farm level.</p>