Phage survival after oral administration.
Mice (n = 5 per group) were orally exposed to a single dose of 10, 6, 3 log10 PFU/mL of the free or microencapsulated phage cocktails. The control group included mice treated with mineral water. (A) Faecal shedding after seven days of the administration of the free or microencapsulated phage cocktails at different doses. Results are expressed as mean phage titres ± SEM of two independent experiments. *, P<0.02 compared to free phages. Closed triangles indicate mean phage dose plus baseline phage titres. (B) Percentage reduction in E. coli shedding in free or microencapsulated phage cocktail-treated mice on day 7 was determined relative to baseline counts found in mice before treatment. Values represent mean concentration ± SEM of two independent experiments. Numbers above bars indicate mean log10 CFU/g of E. coli reduction. No significant differences were observed between groups.
