Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization of Aeromonas hydrophila Phage AhMtk13a and Evaluation of Its Therapeutic Potential on Simulated Aeromonas Infection in Danio rerio

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 14; no. 2; p. 412
• Main Authors: Janelidze, Nino, Jaiani, Ekaterine, Didebulidze, Elene, Kusradze, Ia, Kotorashvili, Adam, Chalidze, Kristine, Porchkhidze, Ketevan, Khukhunashvili, Tinatin, Tsertsvadze, George, Jgenti, Dodo, Bajashvili, Tamaz, Tediashvili, Marina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 17.02.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Aeromonas hydrophila; Aeromonas hydrophila - virology; Animals; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Aquaculture; Aquariums; Bacteria; Bacterial infections; bacteriophage; Bacteriophages - genetics; Chemotherapy; Danio rerio; Drug resistance; Farmers; Fish Diseases - microbiology; Fish Diseases - therapy; Fish production; Genes; Genome, Viral; Genomes; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - therapy; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - virology; Infections; Metabolism; Morphogenesis; Morphology; Mortality; phage genome; phage therapy; Phage Therapy - methods; Phages; Prevention; Proteins; Transfer RNA; Vaccines; zebrafish; Zebrafish - microbiology; Europe; Aeromonas hydrophila; aquaculture; phage genome; zebrafish; bacteriophage; phage therapy
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v14020412

Phage therapy can be an effective alternative to standard antimicrobial chemotherapy for control of infections in aquaculture. -specific phages AhMtk13a and AhMtk13b were studied for basic biological properties and genome characteristics. Phage AhMtk13a (Myovirus, 163,879 bp genome, 41.21% CG content) was selected based on broad lytic spectrum and physiologic parameters indicating its lytic nature. The therapeutic potential of phage AhMtk13a was evaluated in experimental studies in zebrafish challenged with GW3-10 via intraperitoneal injection and passive immersion in aquaria water. In experimental series 1 with single introduction of AhMtk13a phage to aquaria water at phage-bacteria ratio 10:1, cumulative mortality 44% and 62% was registered in fish exposed to phage immediately and in 4 h after bacterial challenge, correspondingly, compared to 78% mortality in the group with no added phage. In experimental series 2 with triple application of AhMtk13a phage at ratio 100:1, the mortality comprised 15% in phage-treated group compared to the 55% in the control group. GW3-10 was not detectable in aquaria water from day 9 but still present in fish at low concentration. AhMtk13a phage was maintained in fish and water throughout the experiment at the higher concentration in infected fish.