Isolation and Preliminary Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Lytic Phages from Wastewater Environment in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, West Africa

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) is a bacterial pathogen for humans and animals. These bacteria can resist against many antibiotics and this resistance constitute an alarming worldwide human health threat due to the morbidity and mortality. Phage therapy is one of the alternative treatments. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize lytic phages of S. aureus from different wastewater sources in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Eight strains of S. aureus were isolated from different clinical samples and were used to isolate phages. The isolation and host range of phages were done by the spot test. Phages were purified by the double-layer method. Similar phages after the determination of the host range were characterized using restriction enzymes. A total of 27 phages were obtained after isolation and purification. Nine of the 27 isolates reported a broad host range (≥67%). The results of enzymatic digestion allowed to consider that all phage isolates that presented the same host range and the same genetic fingerprint are the same phage strain; whereas phages that presented the same host range and different genetic fingerprints are different phage strains. Thus, a total of 15 distinct phages isolates specific to S. aureus were characterized. This study highlighted the abundance and lytic capacity of phages isolated from wastewater from Bobo-Dioulasso’s environment against clinical strains of S. aureus . The lytic capacity of these Staphyphages could be an effective alternative tool to combat bacteria multi-resistance.