Purification strategies and impact of surfactant on bacteriophage stability and aggregation.

Bacteriophages are promising bactericidal agents with potential for infection control, but purification methods and long-term storage can compromise their stability. Viral particle aggregation is a known cause of viability loss and may be reduced with surfactants such as Tween 20. This study evaluated the relationship between aggregation and infectivity loss in MS2 and PhiX174 purified by chloroform clarification and PEG concentration, with or without Tween 20, and by Triton X-100, over 55 days. Infectivity and aggregation varied by purification method, but no direct correlation emerged. MS2 and PhiX174 responded differently, indicating that stability protocols must be virus-specific.