Compositions and methods for the treatment and prevention of infections caused by
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to antimicrobial deoxyribonuclease-based compositions that inhibit growth and proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The present invention also relates to methods of administering the compositions in the treatment and prevention of S. aureus infections. The present invention also relates to methods of administering the compositions in the eradication of S. aureus nasal carriage, in order to prevent the transmission of S. aureus bacteria.
1. A method for increasing sensitivity of S. aureus biofilm-embedded cells to killing, said method comprising treating the S. aureus biofilm-embedded cells with a deoxyribonuclease enzyme, wherein the antimicrobial agent or the mixture of antimicrobial agents is active against S. aureus cells followed by treatment of the deoxyribonuclease enzyme treated cells with an antimicrobial agent or mixture of antimicrobial agents.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the deoxyribonuclease enzyme is deoxyribonuclease I.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the deoxyribonuclease enzyme is bovine deoxyribonuclease I.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the deoxyribonuclease enzyme is human deoxyribonuclease I.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent is a quaternary ammonium compound.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is cetylpyridinium chloride.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the cells are treated with the deoxyribonuclease enzyme for at least 10 minutes.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the cells are treated with the antimicrobial agent or mixture thereof for at least 3 minutes.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the cells are treated with at least 100 μg/ml of the deoxyribonuclease enzyme.