Enterobacteriaceae Therapy using Bacteriophages: A Review

Abstract

Enterobacteriaceae are a family of bacteria, including many familiar pathogens that cause signs of diarrhoea in humans and animals, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Klebsiella. Enterobacteriaceae, the first Gram-negative bacteria, are bacilli (rod-shaped) facultative anaerobes. They ferment sugars to produce lactic acid and other end products. They are usually about 1-5 μm in length. Most are motile because of many flagella; however, a few genera are non-motile. They do not form spores. Most Enterobacteriaceae members have fimbriae necessary for the adhesion of the bacterial cells to their hosts. They are economically significant and thus a considerable concern because they cause the deaths of millions of people each year, resulting in a significant situation to curb their infection. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, there is an urgency to search for replacement therapies against bacteria in the Enterobacteriaceae family. To find a solution to this traumatic problem, studies have been launched in the areas of bacteriophages and their therapeutic application as a significant replacement for antibiotics. Bacteriophage therapy utilizes a different mechanism in destroying bacteria; hence, it is a better alternative to antibiotics. This review sheds light on Enterobacteriaceae and bacteriophage therapy, as well as the history of bacteriophage therapy, its mode of lysing bacteria and formulations of phages.