📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
The global rise of multidrug-resistant pathogens has renewed interest in bacteriophage therapy as an alternative antimicrobial strategy, yet its application context in Nigerian hospital settings remains uncharacterised. This study reviews and characterises bacteriophage diversity and biocontrol potential against multidrug-resistant (MDR) hospital pathogens in Nigeria, drawing on isolates collected from three tertiary hospitals in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), and Katsina (North West). Hospital wastewater and clinical specimens yielded MDR isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, against which bacteriophages were isolated from hospital sewage and environmental water sources using standard double-layer agar overlay techniques. Phage characterisation covered host range, lytic efficiency, burst size, and stability under temperature and pH conditions simulating Nigerian hospital environments. Phages with broad lytic activity against MDR Klebsiella and Pseudomonas isolates were identified from all three sites, with burst sizes of 150 to 420 plaque-forming units. Temperature stability up to 45 degrees Celsius was confirmed in 78 percent of isolates. Host specificity prevented cross-activity against gram-positive pathogens. The study establishes preliminary phage biocontrol feasibility data for Nigerian MDR hospital pathogens and recommends structured phage banking and controlled clinical phage therapy trials within Nigerian teaching hospitals. Keywords: bacteriophage, biocontrol, multidrug resistance, hospital pathogen, Nigeria
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