Lactic acid bacteria and compositions containing them against bacterial colds

1. A method for identifying and/or selecting a lactic acid bacterium that coaggregates with Streptococcus pyogenes , wherein the method comprises:

incubating Streptococcus pyogenes under conditions under which Streptococcus pyogenes forms a biofilm,

adding the lactic acid bacterium to be investigated to a mixture for coaggregation between the Streptococcus pyogenes and the lactic acid bacterium and incubation of the mixture, and

separating any unbound lactic acid bacteria by removing a supernatant and determining a presence of coaggregated lactic acid bacteria in the biofilm formed by Streptococcus pyogenes.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the lactic acid bacterium to be investigated is added during the incubation of the Streptococcus pyogenes which forms the biofilm.

3. The method according to claim 1 additionally comprising:

quantifying biofilm formation after removing the unbound lactic acid bacteria via measurement of an optical density in comparison with a control without addition of the lactic acid bacteria to be investigated.

4. A method for coaggregation comprising: administering to a patient in need of treatment, prophylaxis and/or therapy of microbial diseases or inflammatory diseases of the skin, mucous membranes or oral cavity a microorganism belonging to the lactic acid bacterium order, wherein the microorganism is Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus jensenii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus amylovorus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gassed, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus curvatus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus fructivorans, Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus viridescens, Bifidobacterium bifidum or Lactobacillus ingluviei , wherein the lactic acid bacterium administered aggregates at least with Streptococcus pyogenes.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the patient is in need of topical treatment or prophylaxis.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the microorganism of the lactic acid bacterium order coaggregates with the Streptococcus pyogenes even after a biological, chemical or physical treatment.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the microorganism of the lactic acid bacterium order coaggregates with the Streptococcus pyogenes at a pH between approximately 3 and approximately 8.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the microorganism of the lactic acid bacterium order inhibits the formation of a biofilm of the Streptococcus pyogenes.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the microorganism of the lactic acid bacterium order prevents binding of fibronectin by Streptococcus pyogenes.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the microorganism of the lactic acid bacterium order does not coaggregate with any commensal microorganism of the skin or mucous membranes.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein the microorganism of the lactic acid bacterium order is selected from the group consisting of the following microorganisms that have been deposited with the German Collection for Microorganisms and Cell Cultures and have been numbered as DSM 25972, DSM 25987, DSM 25988, DSM 25989 and DSM 25973.

12. The method of claim 4 , wherein the microorganism is contained in an antimicrobial additive and inflammation in an oropharyngeal space and infection of the upper respiratory tract and skin are treated.

13. The method of claim 4 , wherein the administration is orally, sublingually or buccally.

14. The method of claim 4 , wherein said microorganism of the lactic acid bacterium order is administered as part of a composition comprising a pharmaceutically or cosmetically acceptable vehicle or excipient.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the composition is in a solid, liquid or viscous form or is an aerosol, or wherein the composition is in the form of a paste, a soft gelatin capsule, hard gelatin capsule, powder, granules, beads, pastilles, effervescent tablet, lozenge, buccal tablet, chewable tablet, sublingual tablet, solution, tincture, emulsion, juice, concentrate, syrup, spray, drinking ampoule, gel, mouth wash, toothpaste, chewing gum, tablet, coated pill or bonbon.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the composition comprises probiotics, antiseptics or other antibacterial substances.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical, veterinary or cosmetic composition or a food supplement or a food supplement composition.

18. The method of claim 14 additionally comprising one or more of the following substances: antioxidants, vitamins, coenzymes, fatty acids, amino acids and/or cofactors and/or one or more thickeners, one or more sweeteners and/or one or more artificial sweeteners.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the thickener is selected from the group consisting of cellulose ether, polysaccharides, selected from the group comprising xanthan gum, gelatin, highly-disperse silicon dioxide, starch, alginates, tragacanth, agar, gum arabic, pectin and polyvinyl ester and the sweetener is selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, sucrose and glucose syrup, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol, saccharine, sodium cyclamate, acesulfame K, aspartame and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the microorganism is present as a viable or killed microorganism in the composition and/or is in encapsulated, spray-dried and/or lyophilized form and/or in form of a cell lysate.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the microorganism is present in an amount of 0.001 wt % to 20 wt %.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the microorganism is present in an amount of 0.005 wt % to 10 wt %.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the microorganism is present in an amount 0.01 wt % to 5 wt %.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the composition administered additionally comprises one or more flavoring substances.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the composition is in form of a chewable compound, a chewing gum, a bonbon, a pastille, a toothpaste, a spray or a mouth wash.

26. The method of claim 14 , wherein one or more anti-inflammatory and/or antimicrobial substances are additionally used in the composition administered and/or the composition administered is used in combination with solvents, vehicles, excipients, fillers, flavoring substances and/or aroma substances and/or additional ingredients.

27. The method of claim 14 , wherein the composition is used prophylactically or curatively.

28. The method of claim 14 additionally comprising builder substances, enzymes, electrolytes, pH regulators, thickeners, soil release agents, optical brighteners, graying inhibitors, dye transfer inhibitors, film regulators and/or coloring agents.