Abstract: Disclosed are methods of selecting wide host range bacteriophage capable of growing in a plurality of bacteria including pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and bacteriophage selected by the methods. Also disclosed are methods of treating a subject infected with a pathogenic bacterium using bacteriophage and methods of decontaminating objects using bacteriophage. Also disclosed are methods of producing vaccines. In another aspect, methods of determining bacterial viability and methods of improving the sensitivity of a biosensor using wide host range bacteriophages are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of selecting wide host range bacteriophage capable of growing in a plurality of bacteria including pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and bacteriophage selected by the methods. Also disclosed are methods of treating a subject infected with a pathogenic bacterium using bacteriophage and methods of decontaminating objects using bacteriophage. Also disclosed are methods of producing vaccines. In another aspect, methods of determining bacterial viability and methods of improving the sensitivity of a biosensor using wide host range bacteriophages are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of selecting wide host range bacteriophage capable of growing in a plurality of bacteria including pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and bacteriophage selected by the methods. Also disclosed are methods of treating a subject infected with a pathogenic bacterium using bacteriophage and methods of decontaminating objects using bacteriophage. Also disclosed are methods of producing vaccines. In another aspect, methods of determining bacterial viability and methods of improving the sensitivity of a biosensor using wide host range bacteriophages are disclosed.

Abstract: We recently isolated bacteriophages from wastewater that lyse a primary poultry isolate of Salmonella enteritidis (SE). We evaluated the host range bacteriophage isolates and found that they have the ability to also lyse up to 7 other Salmonella isolates, as well as E. coli, and Klebsiella sp. when plated using soft agar overlay technique. Further, we found that addition of bacteriophage to carcass rinse samples significantly reduced the amount of recoverable Salmonella in both laboratory and field trial settings. The invention also comprises selecting appropriate bacteriophages that target a specific pathogen, and identifying beneficial microflora that would serve as an alternative host. We were able to identify several such alternative hosts from the beneficial microflora selected in our competitive exclusion project.