Characterization of two friunavirus phages and their inhibition effect on biofilms of Extremely drug resistant Acinetobacter baumanii in Dakar, Senegal.

The escalating global challenge of antibiotic resistance necessitates novel alternative antibacterial strategies. While bacteriophages have been employed to combat bacterial infections for over a century, there has been a notable surge in phage research in recent times. The development of modern phage applications mandates a robust scientific rationale, and newly isolated phages necessitate comprehensive examination. In this study, we provide a comprehensive characterization of bacteriophages vAbBal23 and vAbAbd25, which exhibit lytic activity against extensively drug-resistant (XDR) A. baumannii. Methods: Phages was isolated from environmental wastewaters in Dakar, Senegal. Isolation, host-range, thermal and pH stabilities, infection kinetics, one step growth assay, antibiofilm activity assay, sequencing and genomic analysis, were performed. Results: Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis revealed that vAbBal23 and vAbAbd25 belongs to the genera Caudoviricetes, Autographiviridae and Friunavirus, respectively. All two phages significantly reduced in vitro growth of their bacterial host and retained the ability to be stable over a wide pH range (3 to 9) and at temperatures (from 25?C to 40?C). The phages have significant activity on both planktonic and biofilm cells. The results described herein indicate the lytic nature of vAbBal23 and vAbAbd25, which, along with the absence of genes encoding toxins and bacterial virulence factors, underscoring their potential for future phage applications. Conclusion Phages vAbBal23 and vAbAbd25 are promising biological agents that can infect A. baumanii, making them suitable candidates for use in phage therapies.