Hospital surfaces could harbor Serratia marcescens, a resilient bacterium that forms protective biofilms and causes hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). We isolated and fully characterized BUCT805, a novel phage that specifically targeted S. marcescens and effectively removed its biofilms on plastic surfaces. BUCT805 was highly stable across a broad range of temperatures and pH, exhibited a high burst size, and carried no known antibiotic-resistance or toxin genes, supporting its safety for environmental applications. Phage BUCT805 had the potential to remove biofilms in the environment, thereby reducing the risk of HAI and providing an additional option for controlling S. marcescens and its biofilms in clinical settings.
Liu et al. (2026) studied this question.