Investigation of Phages Infecting Escherichia coli Strains B and C, and Enterobacter cloacae in Sewage and Ebrié Lagoon, Côte d'Ivoire.

Bacteriophages are a promising biotechnological against bacterial pathogens. Currently, phage research is garnering interest in sub-Saharan countries as bacterial resistance to antibiotics becomes widespread. They are sought in all environments as they offer the possibility of a sustainable alternative to antibiotics. Altogether 30 water samples from urban sewage and environmental water were screened for the presence of bacteriophages able to infect and . Their genomic diversity was determined by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR fingerprinting. We isolated 35 phages including 9 polyvalent phages that infect simultaneously and . This study allowed first isolation of -specific phages in Côte d'Ivoire. All phages were distinct based on their RAPD band patterns. Sewage systems of Yopougon and the environmental water of Ebrié lagoon were a rich source of phages. The phage collection could be useful for phage application in Côte d'Ivoire.