Selection of an Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteriophage for persistence in the circulatory system of mice infected experimentally.

A bacteriophage lytic for Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated from bovine manure. Following in-vivo selection, the phage acquired the capacity to persist in the circulatory system of mice for at least 38 days. When mice were infected experimentally with E. coli O157:H7 (10(7) CFU/mouse), simultaneous injection of the mice with phage (10(8) PFU/mouse) cleared E. coli O157:H7 from the mice within 48 h