Abstract: The invention provides a composition (e.g., pharmaceutical composition) comprising a combination of two or more phages, wherein the phages are two or more of: (a) phage D29; (b) phage Adephagia?41?43; (c) phage Fionnbharth?47; (d) phage Fred313cpm-1; and (e) phage MuddyHRMN0052-1; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention provides a method of treating, reducing, or preventing a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a mammal comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a combination of two or more phages wherein the phages are two or more of: (a) phage D29; (b) phage Adephagia?41?43; (c) phage Fionnbharth?47; (d) phage Fred313cpm-1; and (e) phage MuddyHRMN0052-1; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The composition can be administered alone or in combination with one or more antibiotics, wherein the length of treatment is reduced as compared to the length of treatment with one or more antibiotics alone.

Abstract: A vector and a prokaryote transformed therewith which includes nucleic acid sequences which make possible the autocatalytic deletion of nucleotide sequences encoding an antibiotic resistance phenotype. The prokaryote can be a bacterium, and in particular a mycobacterium. Such transformed mycobacteria may be employed in vaccines, thereby eliminating the attendant risk of vaccines including antibiotic resistance markers.