METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF INFECTION OR INFECTIOUS COLONIZATION OF THE EYELID, OCULAR SURFACE, SKIN OR EAR

1 .- 29 . (canceled)

30 . A method of treating an infection of the ocular surface in a subject comprising;

applying a topical preparation comprising linalool oil and a membrane permeablizer, wherein the linalool is present in a quantity that is bactericidal to an ocular surface;

thereby treating an infection of the ocular surface in the subject.

31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the infection is conjunctivitis.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the conjunctivitis is infectious conjunctivitis.

33 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the infection is an infectious corneal ulcer.

34 .- 45 . (canceled)

46 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the linalool is present in a quantity that is bactericidal against gram negative bacteria and gram positive bacteria but does not cause clinically significant conditions at the site of application

47 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the topical preparation further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

48 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the topical preparation further comprises water and an emulsifier.

49 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the emulsifier is a surfactant.

50 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the linalool is present in a final concentration of at least about 0.7%.

51 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the linalool oil is present in a final concentration of between about 0.7% and about 1.5%.

52 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the linalool oil is present in a final concentration of between about 0.80% and about 1.25%.

53 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the final concentration of the linalool oil is about 0.90%.

54 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the topical preparation further comprises tea tree oil.

55 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the tea tree oil is present in a final concentration of between about 0.0125% and about 0.050%.

56 . The method of claim 55 , wherein the final concentration of the tree tea oil is between about 0.02% and about 0.04%.

57 . The method of claim 56 , wherein wherein the final concentration of the tree tea oil is about 0.025%.

58 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the membrane permeabilizer is selected from the group consisting of polycationic substances, cationic detergents and chelators.

59 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the permeabilizer is selected from the group consisting of polymyxin, polymyxin nonapeptides and derivatives thereof, lysine polymers, protomine, small polycationic peptides, bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein, large cationic peptides, compound 48/80, aminoglycosides, and Tris.

60 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the membrane permeabilizer is a chelator selected from the group consisting of EDTA, Tris-EDTA, nitrilotriacetate, sodium hexametaphosphate, acetylsalicylate and ascorbate.

61 . The method of claim 60 , wherein the membrane permeablizer is Tris-EDTA.

62 . The method of claim 61 , wherein Tris-EDTA is present in a concentration of about 0.01% to about 0.06%.

63 . The method of claim 62 , wherein Tris-EDTA is present in a concentration of about 0.03%.

64 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the topical preparation comprises about 0.90% linalool and 0.03% Tris-EDTA.

65 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the membrane permeabilizer is selected from the group consisting of Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Na + .

66 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the topical preparation further comprises □-terpineol oil.

67 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the α-terpineol oil replaces an amount of linalool oil that has approximately the same bactericidal efficacy.

68 . The method of claim 30 , wherein there is an at least about 1 log reduction in colony-forming units of Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens or P. aeruginosa after 1 minute of exposure to the topical preparation.