Akan, MehmetMkakosya, Rajhap Sawasova2022-06-102022-06-101999http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12575/81524Isolation of Motile Aeromonad Bacteriophages from Animal and Environmental Sources This research was undertaken to isolate and evaluate the lytic spectrum of motile Aeromonad bacteriophages from animal gut contents and environmental water samples to determine whether the isolated bacteriophages can be used to identify and differentiate motile Aeromonas strains in routine laboratory. Gut contents (n=70) of different animal (birds, sheep and cattle) origins and environmental waters (n=20) (carcas processing, natural and sewage) were used as samples in this study. 15 (16.7%) motile Aeromonas strains [5 (33.3%) A. hydophila, 4 (26.7%) A. schubertii, 3 (20%) A. jandaei, 2 (13.3%) A. sobria and 1 (6.7%) A. caviae] were recovered from the 90 samples. 22 (31.43%) motile aeromonad bacteriophages were recovered from the gut contents and 8 (40%) bacteriophages were isolated from the environmental water samples. The highest isolation ratio (100%) occured in the sewage water samples while aeromonad bacteriophages could not be isolated from the gut contents of five pet birds and the five natural water samples. The lytic spectrums of the bacteriophages were determined by incorporating bacteriophage filtrates into nutrient agar overlays seeded with the respective aeromonas strains. 51 motile aeromonas strains from the cultural collection and 15 strains isolated in this study were used to determine the host range of the bacteriophages. Aeromonas hydrophila bacteriophage recovered from cattle gut content sample showed a great lytic spectrum by infecting 35 motile aeomonas strains tested whereas A. sobria bacteriophage isolated from chicken gut content sample could form plaques only on 6 motile aeromonas strains. In order to evaluate their routine test dilutions (RTD) the bacteriophage filtrates were serially diluted in semi-strength Ringer's solution and the confluent lytic effect of each bacteriophage dilution on individual host strains was observed. The highest bacteriophage titre (confluent lysis formed at 1/128 dilution) was observed on A. hydrophila bacteriophage isolated from cattle gut and the lowest titre (1/32) was observed on most A. sobria bacteriophages. From the results it was concluded that motile aeoromonad bacteriophages are found in different animal and environmental (especially in sewage water) sources and that these bacteriophages show variations in their lytic spectrums and RTDs. However further studies are required to validate the use of bacteriophages in identifying motile Aeromonas strains. Keywords: Aeromonas spp., animal, bacteriophage, lytic spectrum, motile aeromonads. DOKÜMANTASYON MEBKfeütrMicrobiologydoctoralThesis