Rapid, low-cost colorimetric detection of <i>Salmonella</i> Typhi bacteriophages for environmental surveillance.

ABSTRACT: Typhoid fever remains a global public health challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries where poor sanitation and limited access to clean water facilitate transmission. The lack of data on disease burden poses a significant barrier to adopting effective interventions such as vaccination programs. We developed a novel colorimetric assay for the detection of S. Typhi-specific bacteriophages (phages) in environmental water samples, providing an indirect indicator of S. Typhi contamination and insights into typhoid burden. We collected surface water samples from Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Nepal, and Niger, covering urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. We evaluated the colorimetric assay efficiency against the agar overlay plaque assay. Isolated phages were tested agains

SUBMITTER: da Silva KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12421811 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature