Uses of Bacteriophage on Salmonella in the Poultry Industry
Uses of Bacteriophage on Salmonella in the Poultry Industry

Summary/Abstract: Bacteriophages, or phages, are ubiquitous, species-specific viruses that lyse bacteria upon infection. Historically, phage therapy has been used for the treatment of bacterial diseases that have been difficult to treat with antibiotics. Phages infect and kill bacteria upon infection and can be used for prophylaxis against bacterial infections. These have been isolated from various environmental sources. Several groups have successfully isolated bacteriophages targeting foodborne pathogens. The discovery of penicillin was an important milestone in infectious disease treatment. The widespread use of antibiotics during World War II has changed the outcome of many bacterial infections from acute to chronic. However, because bacteria mutate much more rapidly than eukaryotes, antibiotic resistance enzymes are continuously produced. Since the late twentieth century, antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains have caused numerous outbreaks associated with poultry globally. Vaccination to control these disturbing organisms is anticipated more; however, vaccination strategies are limited against Salmonella due to fastidious serotypes. Therefore, the poultry industry is interested in phage-based biocontrol of Salmonella, which is specific, effective, and non-toxic. Phage therapy of Salmonella can be an alternative or supplementary treatment to traditional methods of application that can efficiently counter this pathogen. Phages have been used to control pathogens in different commodities, environments, and hosts. In the poultry industry, phage treatment of Salmonella minimizes losses caused by bacterial pathogens on animal health and production, thereby enhancing food safety. In recent years, phage-based biocontrol has emerged as a powerful tool to control foodborne infections in humans. Selecting the appropriate phages, phage titer, mode of application, and duration of application are major factors that determine therapeutic effectiveness. Phage cocktails can be administered by oral administration, spraying on eggs, or direct addition to contaminated products. These studies have reviewed the mechanisms of Salmonella transmission in poultry and how bacteriophages can combat this pathogen in poultry flocks. Bacteriophages can be a promising intervention strategy to curb the horizontal and vertical transmission of Salmonella. In the animal housing environment, the use of phages as an aerosol spray during the transfer of eggs could reduce horizontal transmission of Salmonella. Phage biocontrol of Salmonella can also be effectively applied against vertical transmission; for example, oral inoculation of phage preparations can effectively reduce vertical transmission of this pathogen. Among identified Salmonella phages, Felix-O1 is recognized as an efficient candidate for therapeutic applications. Small-scale studies have shown a reduction in bacterial counts following phage treatment application, but industrial-scale application requires thorough safety assessment. A commercial phage product against Salmonella called SalmoFREE was tested in Japan, in which phages were sprayed on the salmon product after slicing. A phage therapy trial including 34,680 broiler chickens indicated no significant mortality or alteration in the gut microbiota in the phage-treated group 14 days following treatment, indicating the safety of the product (Abu Sayem Khan & Rezwana Rahman, 2022).

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