Characterization and phage-antibiotic synergy of bacteriophages PES-1 and PES-2 against porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

< 0.05). A notable synergy was observed with amoxicillin, resulting in a decrease in bacterial loads by 2.02-3.47 log units compared to amoxicillin alone. This synergy likely arises from dual selective pressure and improved antibiotic penetration after phage-mediated lysis. However, no significant difference was observed in the gentamycin-phage combination group compared to the phage cocktail group. The results indicate that PES-1 and PES-2 show environmental stability and effectiveness as biocontrol agents for ETEC. This research introduces an innovative method for developing bacteriophage-based solutions applicable to veterinary and food safety contexts.