Isolation and Characterization of a New Bacteriophage: Host Range Assessment and Prospects of Use in the Identification of Moraxella spp.

Bacteria of the genus Moraxella are significant pathogens in both human clinical practice and veterinary medicine. A novel bacteriophage, designated vB_MboM_ZALNahr, was isolated from environmental sources (wastewater from the Moscow Region) and morphologically classified as a myovirus lytically active against Moraxella spp. The phage exhibits a broad spectrum of lytic activity, affecting 76% of the tested Moraxella isolates of various origins. Genome sequencing revealed integrase genes, indicating the temperate nature of the phage and limiting its therapeutic potential. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the isolate is phylogenetically related to Bacillus phages. The obtained data indicate the potential of vB_MboM_ZALNahr as a specific diagnostic agent.