Action of lithic bacteriophages on Escherichia coli strains isolated from mares with endometritis

• Grant number: 21/11716-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: February 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Vitor Manuel Cardoso Figueiredo Balcão
• Grantee: Pablo Felipe Fazolin de Barros Almeida
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa, Extensão e Inovação. Universidade de Sorocaba (UNISO). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Subfertility and infertility in mares still represent one of the biggest reproductive problems in equine species, causing great economic losses. Endometritis ranks among the main reproduction-affecting diseases, characterized as an acute or chronic inflammatory state of the uterine endometrium. It may or not be associated with the presence of opportunistic microorganisms. In infectious endometritis, most recurrent and diagnosed causes are of bacterial origin, with Escherichia coli bacteria as the main etiological agent. Empirical antibiotic therapy before the definitive diagnosis constitutes common practice, leading to the emergence of pathogenic and multi-resistant bacteria. This constitutes a huge present-day challenge, mandating the search for efficient alternatives and safe therapeutics methods. In this scenario, bacteriophages emerge, representing a potential alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy. Therefore, this work's goal is to evaluate the action of lithic bacteriophages action over in E. coli bacteria isolated from uteri of mares with endometritis. For that, uterine samples will be collected from clinically positive mares, either by uterine lavage or swab, and cultivated to identify involved agents. After E. coli isolation, susceptibility tests of pathogenic agents to their respective lytic bacteriophages will be performed. Susceptibility of isolated bacteria is expected, thus offering a new starting point in endometritis therapy in mares. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BALCAO, VICTOR M.; BELLINE, BIANCA G.; SILVA, ERICA C.; ALMEIDA, PABLO F. F. B.; BALDO, DENICEZAR A.; AMORIM, LARA R. P.; OLIVEIRA JUNIOR, JOSE M.; VILA, MARTA M. D. C.; DEL FIOL, FERNANDO S.. Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Two Novel Lytic Bacteriophages for the Biocontrol of Escherichia coli in Uterine Infections: In Vitro and Ex Vivo Preliminary Studies in Veterinary Medicine. PHARMACEUTICS, v. 14, n. 11, p. 40-pg., 2022-11-01. (16/12234-4, 21/11716-3, 16/08884-3, 18/05522-9)