Isolation and assessment of the effectiveness of bacteriophages isolated from marine environment and their effect in the control of bacterial growth

Abstract

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, the search for new treatments to control pathogenic bacterial populations and improve the survival and growth of aquatic organisms is gaining importance in recent years. Under these circumstances, the use of bacteriophages as therapeutic agents appears as an alternative for the control of diseases in aquaculture. In this survey, tests carried out using Artemia sp. nauplii, which were infected with Vibrio fluvialis Strain 1, showed a 90% survival rate compared to the control in which only 52% was obtained; the use of phage at the beginning of the infection showed a greater survival among these microcrustaceans. Finally, the treatment with phage proved to be effective for the control of mortalities caused by the bacterium V. fluvialis using Artemia sp. Keywords: phagotherapy, bacteriophage, Vibrio fluvialis, Artemia sp.