The aim of this study was to isolate, purify and determine host ranges of bacteriophages infecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 from different environment such as river/stream water, sewage, raw food, animal troughs, wastewaters of food processing plants, slaughterhouse and fish farms. For screening of E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophages, 92 samples were used. It was found that in respect to anti-E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophages, food processing wastewaters, sewage and slaughterhouse wastewaters are the richest sources, and streams, troughs and fisheries wastewater are rich in the middle, and raw foods were the poorest source. A total of 37 phages were isolated and purified. The phages counts of the purified samples were changed among 30×103 - 34×108 PFU/mL. The isolated phages were generally infective against E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli strains and 81.08% of the phages (30 out of 37) formed clear plaques and were capable to lyse at least 1 out of 5 E. coli O157:H7 strains. In addition to E. coli, some phages were capable to infect some Salmonella enterica serovars. This results show that inhibitor spectra of the phages were wide.

The aim of this study was to isolate, purify and determine host ranges of bacteriophages infecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 from different environment such as river/stream water, sewage, raw food, animal troughs, wastewaters of food processing plants, slaughterhouse and fish farms. For screening of E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophages, 92 samples were used. It was found that in respect to anti-E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophages, food processing wastewaters, sewage and slaughterhouse wastewaters are the richest sources, and streams, troughs and fisheries wastewater are rich in the middle, and raw foods were the poorest source. A total of 37 phages were isolated and purified. The phages counts of the purified samples were changed among 30×103 - 34×108 PFU/mL. The isolated phages were generally infective against E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli strains and 81.08% of the phages (30 out of 37) formed clear plaques and were capable to lyse at least 1 out of 5 E. coli O157:H7 strains. In addition to E. coli, some phages were capable to infect some Salmonella enterica serovars. This results show that inhibitor spectra of the phages were wide.