Preliminary observations of interaction between bacteriophages and Streptococcus bovis bacteria on ruminal epithelium primoculture.

Five Streptococcus bovis strains (47/3, 59/2, 4/1, 46/2 and 44/9) isolated from calf ruminal fluid samples were examined for the adherence to cultured ruminal epithelium cells. Four strains (47/3, 59/2, 4/1 and 46/2) were able to attach to the cultured epithelial cells. However, S. bovis 47/3 strain attached to the target cells in significantly greater numbers than the other strains. Strain 44/9 did not adhere to cells of ruminal epithelium. The adherent bacteria were observed on the surface of differentiated (mainly keratinized) cells of ruminal epithelium primoculture only. The different effect of F4, F5 and F6 bacteriophages was ascertained on S. bovis bacteria adhering to rumen epithelial primoculture. A significant decrease in the number of adherent bacteria was shown after cultivation of strains 47/3 and 4/1 with F6 bacteriophage and of 47/3 strain with F4 phage. The F5 bacteriophage had no significant effect on these bacteria.