Lytic Bacteriophages Against Enterococcus Faecalis As An Alternative for Endodontic Infections

Aim: To detect bacteriophages with lytic activity against Enterococcus faecalis of endodontic origin. Background: Phage therapy is a promising tool for developing innovative therapeutic strategies against persistent infections caused by Enterococcus faecalis in the oral cavity. Bacteriophages offer significant advantages over conventional antimicrobials, including their high specificity for bacterial strains, their hostdependent self-limiting replication capacity, and their proven safety during treatment, as they do not affect eukaryotic cells. Materials and Methods: Detection of lytic phages using the double agar layer technique, using Enterococcus faecalis isolates of endodontic origin as hosts and wastewater samples as a source of bacteriophages. The isolated phages' characterisation was according to the morphology of the lysis plaques, the range of hosts, and their stability against pH and temperature variations. Results: Two phages, EfaEnd1 and EfaEnd2, with specific lytic activity against endodontic E. faecalis were isolated. These phages showed stability at pH 7.0 ± 0.2 and temperatures up to 60 ± 2 °C. Their specificity and stability suggest potential therapeutic use against resistant and virulent strains. Conclusion: The isolated lytic phages demonstrated high specificity and stability, making them a promising alternative for controlling resistant E. faecalis in endodontic infections. Their use could complement conventional treatments, reducing bacterial resistance. Further studies are needed to evaluate their efficacy “In Vivo”.