Phage Therapy Restores Gut Microbiota Without Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance Genes
Campylobacter is a leading foodborne pathogen, causing human gastroenteritis and infecting approximately 96 million individuals yearly. Campylobacter coli (C. coli) and Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) are primary species responsible for human campylobacteriosis. Poultry is identified as the primary reservoir of Campylobacter, accounting for 50-80% of human infections. The growing emergence of multidrug-resistant Campylobacter strains, due to overuse and misuse of antibiotics in poultry farming, highlights the urgent need for innovative control strategies such as bacteriophage therapy. This study investigates the efficacy of Campylobacter phage CC_R7 as a potential alternative to antibiotics in controlling Campylobacter colonization in poultry, using an in vitro chicken gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model.