title: Selection and characterization of a candidate therapeutic bacteriophage that lyses the Escherichia coli O104:H4 strain from the 2011 outbreak in Germany.
abstract: In 2011, a novel strain of O104:H4 Escherichia coli caused a serious outbreak of foodborne hemolytic uremic syndrome and bloody diarrhea in Germany. Antibiotics were of questionable use and 54 deaths occurred. Candidate therapeutic bacteriophages that efficiently lyse the E. coli O104:H4 outbreak strain could be selected rather easily from a phage bank or isolated from the environment. It is argued that phage therapy should be more considered as a potential armament against the growing threat of (resistant) bacterial infections.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merabishvili
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verbeken
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kropinski
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vandenheuvel
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lavigne
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wattiau
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mast
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ragimbeau
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mossong
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scheres
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chanishvili
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaneechoutte
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pirnay
mesh_terms: D001433:Bacteriolysis; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000821:virology*