Interspecies interactions and bacteriophage control in S. Enteritidis and E. coli mixed biofilms

Abstract

Background Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli are both important foodborne pathogens, commonly related to outbreaks1. Their ability to form biofilms contributes to their virulence and enables their survival on different food contact surfaces2. In mixed biofilms, interspecies interactions can occur, resulting in positive, negative or neutral outcomes to each species3,4. As these microbial communities present great resistance to antimicrobials used in food industries (disinfectants, biocide, antimicrobials), bacteriophages, bacterial viruses, can be regarded as good and safe candidates for biofilm biocontrol5. This study aimed at characterizing the interactions established between two S. Enteritidis and two E. coli strains, previously reported to be strong or weak biofilm producers, respectively, in mixed biofilms. Moreover, our goal was also to determine the efficacy of a cocktail of bacteriophages as biofilm control agents.