Compositions to inhibit pathogenic growth
The invention includes compositions for treating an animal to inhibit the incidence and growth of E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogenic bacteria. The composition is a therapeutically effective amount of a Lactobacillus bacterium, or one, or a combination of a number of other probiotic bacteria. An alternative composition is a therapeutically effective amount of a lactic acid producing bacterium such as Lactobacillus bacterium in combination with a lactate utilizing bacterium such as Propionibacterium . One example of the Lactobacillus bacterium is Lactobacillus acidophilus , and one example of the Propionibacterium is Propionibacterium freudenreichii.
1. A composition for treating or inhibiting a pathogenic infection caused by a pathogenic bacterium in a ruminant, said composition comprising a Lactobacillus bacterium and a Propionibacterium bacterium, wherein the ratio in colony forming unit (CFU) between said Lactobacillus bacterium and said Propionibacterium bacterium in said composition is from about 1:100 (CFU Lactobacillus :CFU Propionibacterium ) to about 1000:1 (CFU Lactobacillus :CFU Propionibacterium ), wherein said Lactobacillus bacterium consists essentially of strain LA51.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said ratio in colony forming unit (CFU) between said Lactobacillus bacterium and said Propionibacterium bacterium is about 1:1 (CFU Lactobacillus :CFU Propionibacterium ), and wherein said Lactobacillus is fed to said ruminant at a dosage of at least 10 9 CFU/day to effectively treat or prevent said pathogenic infection.
3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein said Propionibacterium bacterium is strain PF24 and said Propionibacterium bacterium is fed to said ruminant at a dosage of at least 10 9 CFU/day to effectively treat or prevent said pathogenic infection.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said Propionibacterium bacterium is a strain selected from the group consisting of P9, P42, PF24 and combinations thereof.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said pathogenic bacterium is selected from the group consisting of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Spp., Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella Spp., and Staphylococcus aureus.
6. The composition of claim 5 , wherein said pathogenic bacterium is Escherichia coli.
7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein said Escherichia coli is Escherichia coli O157:H7.
8. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising animal feed or water.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said ratio between said Lactobacillus bacterium and said Propionibacterium bacterium is from about 1:10 (CFU Lactobacillus :CFU Propionibacterium ) to about 1:1 (CFU Lactobacillus :CFU Propionibacterium ).
10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein said ratio between the Lactobacillus bacterium and the Propionibacterium bacterium is about 1:10 (CFU Lactobacillus :CFU Propionibacterium ).
11. The composition of claim 9 , wherein said ratio between the Lactobacillus bacterium and the Propionibacterium bacterium is about 1:1 (CFU Lactobacillus :CFU Propionibacterium ).
12. A composition for treating or inhibiting a pathogenic infection caused by a pathogenic bacterium in a ruminant, said composition comprising a Lactobacillus bacterium and a Propionibacterium bacterium, wherein said Lactobacillus bacterium consists of strain LA51 and said Propionibacterium bacterium consists of strain PF24.
13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein said Lactobacillus bacterium and said Propionibacterium bacterium are both fed to said ruminant at a respective dosage of at least 10 9 CFU per day to effectively treat or inhibit said pathogenic infection.