ARS | Publication request: Role of phages in the control of bacterial pathogens in food

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: July 1, 2011
Publication Date: September 20, 2012
Citation: Niu, Y.D., Stanford, K., Mcallister, T.A., Callaway, T.R. 2012. Role of phages in the control of bacterial pathogens in food. In: Abedon, S., Hyman, P., editors. Bacteriophages in Health and Disease. NY: CABI Publishing. p. 240-255.

Technical Abstract: Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses of bacteria and were independently discovered by English bacteriologist Twort in 1915 and Franco-Canadian microbiologist d’Hérelle in 1917 (d'Hérelle, 1919). Since then, phages have been used to treat infectious disease in humans, animals, and plants, but in the past 50 years, they have been largely replaced by broad-spectrum antibiotics for the treatment of infectious diseases. As antibiotic resistance is becoming increasingly prevalent, interest has been renewed in the antimicrobial nature of phages since the 1980s. Antibiotic resistance concerns have also led to the rediscovery of phage as therapeutic adjuncts to improve animal health and human health through improvements in food safety. This chapter will review: 1) phages against bacterial disease; 2) phages against bacterial zoonotic foodborne pathogenic bacteria from farm to fork; 3) phage-derived pharmaceuticals and challenges facing them; and 4) detection, identification, and protection from bacterial disease.