Isolation and Characterization of Six Novel Fusobacterium necrophorum Phages

Although all phages isolated contained sequences bearing similarities to genes implicated in lysogeny, the four selected for use in cocktails showed potential in inhibiting host growth, with several demonstrating promising attributes for biocontrol and therapeutic applications. Phage cocktails that may offer enhanced antibacterial activity were also identified, indicating the potential of some lysogenic phages to be adapted for biocontrol or therapeutic purposes when lytic phages are difficult to obtain.