University of Tehran Press Journal of Veterinary Research 2008-2525 81 1 2026 03 21 Isolation, Characterization, and Biocontrol Efficacy of Bacteriophage VMUT_SIR1 Against Salmonella enteritidis in Chicken Meat Isolation, Characterization, and Biocontrol Efficacy of Bacteriophage VMUT_SIR1 Against Salmonella enteritidis in Chicken Meat 13 29 105295 10.22059/jvr.2025.400880.3536 FA Reza Teimouri Fard Graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Afshin Akhondzadeh Basti Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Ali Khanjari Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Negin Noori Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Hoseinali Ebrahimizadeh Mousavi Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Iradj Ashrafi Tamai Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Elnaz Kamrani Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 10 11 BACKGROUND: Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis) is one of the most prevalent bacterial pathogens responsible for foodborne illnesses transmitted through chicken meat. Given the escalating threats posed by antibiotic resistance in this bacterium, the application of bacteriophages as modern biocontrol agents has gained significant importance. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to isolate and characterize indigenous bacteriophages effective against S. enteritidis from wastewater of industrial poultry slaughterhouses and to evaluate their efficacy in controlling Salmonella contamination in chicken meat. METHODS: Twenty 50-mL samples of wastewater were collected from an industrial poultry slaughterhouse in Tehran, Iran, for phage isolation. Purification and propagation of the bacteriophage were performed using the double-layer agar method and plaque assay. The isolated phage was characterized in terms of morphology, host range, lytic activity, multiplicity of infection (MOI), adsorption efficiency, one-step growth curve, stability under various temperature and pH conditions, as well as preventive and corrective treatments on chicken meat. RESULTS: The purified bacteriophage belonged to the Siphoviridae family and exhibited a broad host range of 90% against S. enteritidis serovars. The highest lytic activity and optimal bacteriophage efficacy against the bacterium were observed at an MOI of 0.01. The maximum adsorption percentage occurred within the initial 8 minutes, reaching a peak of 92% at 12 minutes. The phage VMUT_SIR1 demonstrated stability at a temperature range of -18°C to 70°C and pH values of 4 to 12. In treatments applied to chicken meat, the optimal MOI of the bacteriophage yielded the best results in corrective treatment at 25°C, achieving a 2.88 Log CFU/g reduction within the first 6 hours, and a 2.4 Log CFU/g reduction over 24 hours in corrective treatment with the phage at 4°C. CONCLUSIONS: The bacteriophage VMUT_SIR1 exhibited substantial potential as a biological disinfectant for controlling Salmonella in chicken meat production in the conducted study. BACKGROUND: Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis) is one of the most prevalent bacterial pathogens responsible for foodborne illnesses transmitted through chicken meat. Given the escalating threats posed by antibiotic resistance in this bacterium, the application of bacteriophages as modern biocontrol agents has gained significant importance. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to isolate and characterize indigenous bacteriophages effective against S. enteritidis from wastewater of industrial poultry slaughterhouses and to evaluate their efficacy in controlling Salmonella contamination in chicken meat. METHODS: Twenty 50-mL samples of wastewater were collected from an industrial poultry slaughterhouse in Tehran, Iran, for phage isolation. Purification and propagation of the bacteriophage were performed using the double-layer agar method and plaque assay. The isolated phage was characterized in terms of morphology, host range, lytic activity, multiplicity of infection (MOI), adsorption efficiency, one-step growth curve, stability under various temperature and pH conditions, as well as preventive and corrective treatments on chicken meat. RESULTS: The purified bacteriophage belonged to the Siphoviridae family and exhibited a broad host range of 90% against S. enteritidis serovars. The highest lytic activity and optimal bacteriophage efficacy against the bacterium were observed at an MOI of 0.01. The maximum adsorption percentage occurred within the initial 8 minutes, reaching a peak of 92% at 12 minutes. The phage VMUT_SIR1 demonstrated stability at a temperature range of -18°C to 70°C and pH values of 4 to 12. In treatments applied to chicken meat, the optimal MOI of the bacteriophage yielded the best results in corrective treatment at 25°C, achieving a 2.88 Log CFU/g reduction within the first 6 hours, and a 2.4 Log CFU/g reduction over 24 hours in corrective treatment with the phage at 4°C. CONCLUSIONS: The bacteriophage VMUT_SIR1 exhibited substantial potential as a biological disinfectant for controlling Salmonella in chicken meat production in the conducted study.

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