A small-scale experiment of using phage-based probiotic dietarysupplement for prevention of E. coli traveler’s diarrhea

摘要

Traveler’s diarrhea (TD) is caused byEscherichia coli in 30% of cases. Wehave developed a phage cocktail for prophylaxis of TD caused by E.coli, Shigellafiexneri, Shigella sonnei, Salmonellaenterica, Listeria monocytogenes orStaphylococcus aureus, and investigatedits effectiveness against infection causedby the non-pathogenic Lac (-) strain of E.coli K12 C600 in animal and human trials. On the 6th day of both animal andhuman trials E. coli K12 C600 strain wasdetected in titer of 104 CFU/g of micefeces and 106 CFU/g of human feces inthe control (untreated) groups, while itwas not detected in the samples of eitherof the study (phage-treated) groups.These results have great significancebecause the original coliphages includedin the cocktail have a broad host-rangeincluding ETEC, EAEC and EHECstrains which cause severe cases of TD.