Prophage-encoding engineered bacteria enable prophylactic lytic phage therapy for enteric infection in mice.

Prophage-encoding engineered bacteria produce high levels of lytic phage, preventing Salmonella enterica Typhimurium infection and improving survival in mice.

• Why it matters: Enteric bacterial infections like Salmonella are difficult to prevent with current therapies, highlighting the need for effective prophylactic strategies to reduce infection risk.
• What they did: Engineered non-pathogenic Escherichia coli were designed to carry a prophage that produces lytic phage targeting Salmonella, overcoming host defenses and establishing high phage levels in the gut before infection.
• The result: Prophage-producing E. coli effectively colonized the gut, eliminated Salmonella, and increased survival in mouse models, demonstrating the potential of prophage therapy for preventing enteric infections.