title: Isolation and characterization of two anti-staphylococcal bacteriophages specific for pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus associated with bovine infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize bacteriophages against bovine Staphylococcus aureus associated with mastitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe the isolation of two anti-staphylococcal phages namely DW2 and CS1 from farmyard slurry. Both phages were characterized by electron microscopy and restriction analysis and shown to belong to the Siphoviridae family. CS1 and DW2 were lytic for representatives of all three clonal groups of Irish mastitis-associated staphylococci. These phages were compared with the previously characterized Myoviridae phage K. Infusion of a cocktail of all three phages at 10(8) PFU ml(-1) into live cow teats resulted in no detectable increase in somatic cell counts in milks indicating that the phages did not irritate the animal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two new anti-staphylococcal phages CS1 and DW2 were isolated and characterized and tested for immunogenicity in animal teats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The phages isolated in this study are active against pathogenic S. aureus and may be incorporated into teat-dips or teat-washes as a non-antibiotic prophylaxis against staphylococcal bovine mastitis.
authors.affiliation: Dairy Products Research Center, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Flaherty
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Meaney
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coffey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D008242:Lysogeny; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*