Therapeutic efficacy of Brucella phage against Brucella abortus in mice model

Aim: To investigate the preventive and therapeutic potential of brucella phage in experimentally infected mice with Brucella abortus (strain 544). Materials and Methods: Three groups of mice each containing 6 individuals were infected with Brucella abortus (strain 544). A preventive group was infected with Brucella abortus (strain 544), 48 hrs before phage treatment. A therapeutic group was phage treated 48 hrs after Brucella abortus (strain 544) infection in mice. Spleen was aseptically collected from all groups of mice 15 days after challenge. Mean Spleen count of Brucella was enumerated by culturing on Brucella agar media (BAM) and converted in terms of protective activity and compared with control mice not receiving phage therapy. Result: There was significant reduction in protective activity of preventive and therapeutic phage treated groups (2.884 and 3.077) respectively in comparison to control group mice (4.267). There was no significant effect on mice health following phage treatment. Conclusion: phage treatment is a promising alternative for reducing Brucella colonization in mice.