title: Wide host range and strong lytic activity of Staphylococcus aureus lytic phage Stau2.
abstract: In searching for an alternative antibacterial agent against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, we have isolated and characterized a lytic staphylophage, Stau2. It possesses a double-stranded DNA genome estimated to be about 134.5 kb and a morphology resembling that of members of the family Myoviridae. With an estimated latency period of 25 min and a burst size of 100 PFU/infected cell, propagation of Stau2 in liquid culture gave a lysate of ca. 6 × 10(10) PFU/ml. It was stable at pH 5 to 13 in normal saline at room temperature for at least 4 weeks and at -85°C for more than 2 years, while 1 × 10(9) out of 2 × 10(12) PFU/ml retained infectivity after 36 months at 4°C. Stau2 could lyse 80% of the S. aureus isolates (164/205) obtained from hospitals in Taiwan, with complete lysis of most of the isolates tested within 3 h; however, it was an S. aureus-specific phage because no lytic infection could be found in the coagulase-negative staphylococci tested. Its host range among S. aureus isolates was wider than that of polyvalent phage K (47%), which can also lyse many other staphylococcal species. Experiments with mice demonstrated that Stau2 could provide 100% protection from lethal infection when a multiplicity of infection of 10 was administered immediately after a challenge with S. aureus S23. Considering these results, Stau2 could be considered at least as a candidate for topical phage therapy or an additive in the food industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung 406, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sue-Er
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Hsueh-Hsia
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Shui-Tu
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mong-Chuan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yi-Hsiung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001433:Bacteriolysis; D058507:Host Specificity; D006801:Humans; D008242:Lysogeny; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017900:Myoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000821:virology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents