COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR THE TREATMENT OF BURKHOLDERIA INFECTIONS

1 . An anti-IHF antibody for use in treating or preventing the recurrence of a Burkholderia infection in a Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patient in need thereof.

2 . The antibody of claim 1 , wherein the anti-IHF antibody is administered to the patient in the absence of a DNase treatment.

3 . The antibody of claim 1 or 2 , and an antimicrobial that inhibits the growth of the Burkholderia.

4 . The antibody of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the Burkholderia is Burkholderia cenocepacia or B. multivorans.

5 . The antibody of claim 1 , wherein the anti-IHF antibody is an anti-IHFα or an anti-IHFβ antibody.

6 . The antibody of claim 1 , wherein the antibody is an IgG antibody.

7 . The antibody of claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof.

8 . The antibody of claim 1 , wherein the antibody specifically recognizes and binds a polynucleotide of the group

TCTCAACGATTTA

(SEQ ID NO: 341) or

WATCAANNNNTTR

(where W is A or T, N is any nucleotide and R is a A or G) (SEQ ID NO: 342) or an equivalent of each thereof or a polypeptide selected from the group of

MATITKLDIIEYLSDKYHLS

(SEQ ID NO: 343)

KYHLSTKQDTKNVVENFLEEI

(SEQ SEQ ID NO: 344)

FLEEIRLSLESGQDVKLSGF

(SEQ ID NO: 345);

KLSGFGNFELRDKSSRPGRN

(SEQ ID NO: 346);

RPGRNPKTGDVVPVSARRVV

(SEQ ID NO: 347); or

ARRVVTFKPGQKLRARVEKTK

(SEQ ID NO: 348) or an equivalent thereof, or a polypeptide identified in Table 2, or the Arm fragment of a polypeptide identified in Table 2, or an equivalent or each thereof, or a polypeptide of SEQ ID NOs.: 337 to 340, or an equivalent thereof.

9 . An anti-IHF antibody for use in treating an infection or disease caused by Burkholderia in a subject infected with Burkholderia.

10 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the anti-IHF antibody is administered to the subject in the absence of a DNase treatment.

11 . The antibody of claim 9 and an antimicrobial that inhibits the growth of the Burkholderia.

12 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the Burkholderia is Burkholderia cenocepacia or B. multivorans.

13 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the anti-IHF antibody is an anti-IHFα or an anti-IHFβ antibody.

14 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the antibody is an IgG antibody.

15 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof.

16 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the antibody specifically recognizes and binds a polynucleotide of the group

TCTCAACGATTTA

(SEQ ID NO: 341) or

WATCAANNNNTTR

(where W is A or T, N is any nucleotide and R is a A or G) (SEQ ID NO: 342) or an equivalent of each thereof or a polypeptide selected from the group of

MATITKLDIIEYLSDKYHLS

(SEQ ID NO: 343);

KYHLSKQDTKNVVENFLEEI

(SEQ ID NO: 344);

FLEEIRLSLESGQDVKLSGF

(SEQ ID NO: 45);

KLSGFGNFELRDKSSRPGRN

(SEQ ID NO: 346);

RPGRNPKTGDVVPVSARRVV

(SEQ ID NO: 347); or

ARRVVTFKPGQKLRARVEKTK

(SEQ ID NO: 348) or an equivalent or each thereof, or a polypeptide identified in Table 2, or an Arm fragment identified in Table 2, or an equivalent thereof, or a polypeptide of SEQ ID NOs.: 337 to 340, or an equivalent thereof.

17 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the subject is a mammal.

18 . The antibody of claim 17 , wherein the mammal is a human patient.

19 . The antibody of claim 17 , wherein the mammal or human patient is an immature mammalian or a pediatric patient.

20 . The antibody of claim 9 , wherein the subject infected with Burkholderia is a cystic fibrosis subject.

21 . A method for inhibiting, competing or titrating a biofilm produced by Burkholderia or for interfering or impeding the binding of microbial DNA to a DNABII protein or a DNABII polypeptide wherein the antibody specifically recognizes and binds a polynucleotide of the group:

TCTCAACGATTTA

(SEQ ID NO: 341) on

WATCAANNNNTTR

(where W is A or T, N is any nucleotide and R is a A or G) (SEQ ID NO: 342) or an equivalent thereof or a polypeptide selected from the group of

MATITKLDIIEYLSDKYHLS

(SEQ ID NO: 343);

KYHLSKQDTKNVVENFLEEI

(SEQ ID NO: 344);

FLEEIRLSLESGQDVKLSGF

(SEQ ID NO: 345);

KLSGFGNFELRDKSSRPGRN

(SEQ ID NO: 346);

RPGRNPKTGDVVPVSARRVV

(SEQ ID NO: 347); or

ARRVVTFKPGQKLRARVEKTK

(SEQ ID NO: 348) or an equivalent thereof, or a polypeptide identified in Table 2, or the Arm fragment of a polypeptide identified in Table 2, or an equivalent or each thereof, or a polypeptide of SEQ ID NOs.: 337 to 340, or an equivalent thereof.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the antibody is contacted with the biofilm in vitro or in vivo.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the contacting of the antibody is in the absence of a DNase treatment.

24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising contacting the biofilm or Burkkholderia with an effective amount of an antimicrobial that inhibits the growth of the Burkkholderia or other bacteria producing the biofilm.

25 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising the sequence

TCTCAACGATTTA

(SEQ ID NO: 341) or

WATCAANNNNTTR

(where W is A or T, N is any nucleotide and R is a A or G) (SEQ ID NO: 342) or an equivalent thereof; or an isolated polypeptide comprising a sequence of the group

MATITKLDIIEYLSDKYHLS

(SEQ ID NO: 343):

KYHLSKQDTKNVVENFLEEI

(SEQ ID NO: 344);

FLEEIRLSLESGQDVKLSGF

(SEQ ID NO: 345);

KLSGFGNFELRDKSSRPGRN

(SEQ ID NO: 346);

RPGRNPKTGDVVPVSARRVV

(SEQ ID NO: 347);

ARRVVTFKPGQKLRARVEKTK

(SEQ ID NO: 348) or an equivalent thereof, or a polypeptide identified in Table 2, or the Arm fragment of a polypeptide identified in Table 2, or an equivalent or each thereof, or a polypeptide of SEQ ID NOs.: 337 to 340, or an equivalent thereof.

26 . The isolated polynucleotide or polypeptide of claim 25 , further comprising an adjuvant or detectable label.

27 . An isolated antibody that specifically recognizes and binds the isolated polynucleotide or polypeptide of claim 25 .

28 . The antibody of claim 27 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof.

29 . A hybridoma cell line producing the monoclonal antibody of claim 28 .

30 . The antibody of claim 27 , and a carrier.

31 . The antibody of claim 30 , wherein the carrier is a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

32 . An isolated polynucleotide encoding an isolated polypeptide of claim 25 or the antibody of claim 27 .