Application of bacteriophage cocktails for reducing the bacterial load of nosocomial pathogens in hospital wastewater

  • Sara Sadeqi Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
  • Abdolrazagh Hashemi Shahraki Division of Pulmonary, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, USA
  • Farhad Nikkhahi Medical Microbiology Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
  • Amir Javadi Department of Community Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
  • Seyed Mahmoud Amin Marashi Medical Microbiology Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Keywords: Wastewater; Ponds; Bacteriophages; Environmental pollution; Drug resistance

Abstract

Background and Objectives: In the third world and developing countries, hospital sewage is mixed with municipal waste- water. The treated effluent contains dangerous bacteria released into the environment and used in the irrigation of agricultural products, and eventually these bacteria may endanger the human health through foods. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are most- ly found in hospital wastewater. In water and wastewater treatment plants, large amounts of toxic and polluting substances are removed and destroyed, but this process does not eliminate bacteria.

Materials and Methods: Wastewater samples from 22 hospitals in Iran were collected and in the meantime specific phages (against drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria) extracted using the bilayer agar technique. Phage amplification was performed by employing a fermenter after phage identification. Amplified phages were added to the primary sedimentation pond using New-Brunwick biofermenter BioFlo/CelligenĀ®115 and the bacterial count was evaluated for the desired bacteria.

Results: Our phage cocktail was able to reduce 99.8%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.8%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.6% and 99.9% of E. coli, E. faecium, E. faecalis, K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. maltophilia and S. aureus countsĀ  respectively.

Conclusion: The application of phage cocktails can remarkably help improve personal hygiene, the environment, and the optimization of surface water.

Published
2022-06-20
Section
Articles