title: Survival studies of a temperate and lytic bacteriophage in bovine faeces and slurry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cattle are the main reservoir of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), food-borne pathogens that express verocytotoxins (vtx) encoded by temperate bacteriophage. Bovine faeces and unturned manure heaps can support the survival of VTEC and may propagate and transmit VTEC. This study investigated the survival of a vtx2 bacteriophage, φ24B ::Kan, in bovine faeces and slurry. The survival of an anti-Escherichia coli O157:H7 lytic bacteriophage, e11/2, was examined in the same matrices, as a possible bio-control option for VTEC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Samples were inoculated with φ24B ::Kan and/or e11/2 bacteriophage at a concentration of 7-8 log10  PFU g(-1)  (faeces) or ml(-1) (slurry), stored at 4 and 14°C and examined every 2 days for 36 days. The ability of φ24B ::Kan to transduce E. coli cells was examined. Moreover, E. coli concentrations in the faeces and slurry were monitored throughout the experiment as were the pH and aw (faeces only). Both bacteriophages survived well in faeces and slurry. In addition, φ24B ::Kan was able to form lysogens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  φ24B ::Kan and e11/2 phage can survive and remain infective in bovine faeces and slurry for at least 30 days under representative Irish temperatures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bovine faeces and slurry may act as a reservoir for vtx bacteriophages. The survival of the anti-O157 phage suggests it may be a suitable bio-control option in these matrices.
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland.|School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nyambe
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whyte
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland. declan.bolton@teagasc.ie.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bolton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002417:Cattle; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology*; D008372:Manure / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D008372:Manure
keywords: bacteriophage; bovine faeces; bovine slurry; lysogen; survival