Assessment of the Effectiveness of Cholera Bacteriophages for Prevention of Experimental Cholera

The possibility of cholera importation into our country and the increase in the number of Vibrio cholerae strains that are resistant to antibacterial agents necessitate the development of alternative therapeutic and prophylactic biological products based on bacteriophages.The aim of the work was to study the effectiveness of application of cholera bacteriophages for the prevention of experimental cholera.Materials and methods. The work involved cholera bacteriophages Rostov-M3, Rostov-13, active against cholera vibrios of the O1 serogroup; and FB1, which has lytic activity against the O139 serogroup. The effectiveness of cholera prevention was assessed using a model of an isolated loop of the small intestine in an adult rabbit.Results and discussion. The use of Rostov-M3 and Rostov-13 for five and especially seven days before infection with virulent strains of V. cholerae O1 serogroup prevents the development of infection in the small intestine of experimental animals. Bacteriophage FB1 did not have that ability against V. cholerae O139. These studies indicate the effectiveness of using phages Rostov-M3 and Rostov-13 for the prevention of experimental cholera caused by V. cholerae O1 serogroup.