Methods for eradication of nanobacteria

Abstract

Nanobacteria contribute to pathological calcification in the human and animal body, including diseases such as kidney stones, salivary gland stones, dental pulp stones and atherosclerosis. The present invention provides methods for sterilizing articles contaminated with nanobacteria. The present invention also provides methods of treating patients infected with nanobacteria. In particular, the present invention provides a method for preventing the recurrence of kidney stones in a patient that has suffered from kidney stones, comprising administration of an antibiotic, a bisphosphonate, or a calcium chelator, either alone or in combination, in an amount effective to inhibit or prevent the growth and development of nanobacteria.

1 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria, comprising exposing the nanobacteria to a disinfectant mixture.  
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disinfectant mixture is a 1% mixture of 50% potassium persulfate and 5% sulfaminoic acid in distilled water.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disinfectant mixture is a 3% mixture of 4.5% formaldehyde, 6.8% glyoxal, 1.5% glyoxylic acid, and 6% dimethylaurylbenzyl-ammonium chloride.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disinfectant mixture is a low molecular weight organic acid that binds or chelates calcium.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and and salicylic acid and its acetyl and aminoacetyl derivatives.  
     
     
         6 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria by demineralizing the nanobacteria, and then exposing the article to a disinfectant mixture.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein demineralization is accomplished by exposing the article to a mixture with low pH.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the mixture with low pH is a strong acid.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the strong acid is hydrochloric acid.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein demineralization is accomplished by exposing the article to an effective amount of a calcium chelator.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the calcium chelator is EDTA.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the disinfectant chemical is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, SDS, Tween 80, Triton X-100, guanidium-hydrochloride, urea, Virkon®, Erifenol®, Klorilli®, Buraton®, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the disinfectant chemical is selected from the group consisting of 
 ethanol (at least a 70% solution);    glutaraldehyde (at least a 2% solution);    formaldehyde (at least a 4% solution);    hypochlorite (at least an 0.5% solution);    hydrogen peroxide (at least a 3% solution);    hydrochloric acid (at least a 1M solution);    sodium hydroxide (at least a 1M solution);    sodium dodecyl sulfate(at least a 1% solution);    Tween 80 (at least a 1% solution);    Triton X-100 (at least a 1% solution);    guanidium-hydrochloride (at least a 3M solution);    urea (at least a 3M solution);    Virkon® (at least a 1% solution);    Erifenol® (at least a 1.5% solution);    Klorilli® (at least a 1% solution);    Buraton® (at least a 3% solution); and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising autoclaving the article at a temperature of at least 121° C. for at least 20 minutes.  
     
     
         15 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria by demineralizing the nanobacteria, and then autoclaving the article at a temperature of at least 121° C. for at least 20 minutes.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising exposing the article to ultraviolet radiation, by exposing the article to a UV-C lamp of at least 15 W at a distance of 60 cm or less for at least 1 hour.  
     
     
         17 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria by demineralizing the nanobacteria, and then exposing the article to ultraviolet radiation, by exposing the article to a UV-C lamp of at least 15 W at a distance of 60 cm or less for at least 1 hour.  
     
     
         18 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria comprising exposing the article to at least three megarads of gamma radiation.  
     
     
         19 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria by heating the article for at least one hour at a temperature of at least 100° C.  
     
     
         20 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria by demineralizing the nanobacteria, and then heating the article for at least 15 minutes, at a temperature of at least 60° C.  
     
     
         21 . A method for disinfecting an article contaminated with nanobacteria by demineralizing the nanobacteria, and then heating the article for at least 30 minutes at a temperature of at least 100° C.  
     
     
         22 . A tissue culture medium formulated to be free of nanobacteria, wherein said tissue culture medium comprising a nanobacteria-antibiotic-effective amount of one or more antibiotics selected from the group consisting of β-lactam antibiotics, aminoglycoside antibiotics, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         23 . A tissue culture medium according to  claim 22 , wherein the μ-lactam antibiotics are selected from the group consisting of penicillin, phenethicillin, ampicillin, azlocillin, bacmpicillin, carbenicillin, cylclacillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin, epicillin, hetacillin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, methicillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, and salts thereof.  
     
     
         24 . A tissue culture medium according to  claim 23 , wherein the aminoglycoside antibiotics are selected from the group consisting of streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamycin, amikacin, neomycin, pardomycin, tobramycin, viomycin, and salts thereof.  
     
     
         25 . A method for preventing or treating the development of calcifications in vivo in a patient in need of such prevention or treatment, comprising administering an antibiotic to the patient in an amount sufficient to inhibit or prevent the growth of nanobacteria.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of β-lactam antibiotics, aminoglycoside antibiotics, tetracycline antibiotics, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the β-lactam antibiotics are selected from the group consisting of penicillin, phenethicillin, ampicillin, azlocillin, bacmpicillin, carbenicillin, cylclacillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin, epicillin, hetacillin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, methicillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.  
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the aminoglycoside antibiotics are selected from the group consisting of streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamycin, amikacin, neomycin, pardomycin, tobramycin, viomycin, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.  
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the tetracycline antibiotics are selected from the group consisting of tetracycline, chlortetracycline, demeclocycline, doxycycline, methacycline, oxytetracycline, rolitetracycline, minocycline, sancycline, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.  
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the antibiotic is coadministered with a citrate compound.  
     
     
         31 . A method for preventing or treating the development of calcifications in vivo in a patient in need of such prevention or treatment, comprising administering a bisphosphonate to the patient in an amount sufficient to inhibit or prevent the growth of nanobacteria.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the bisphosphonate is selected from the group consisting of alendronic acid, etidronic acid, clodronic acid, oxidronic acid, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the bisphosphonates are administered at a dose of approximately 5-20 mg/kg/day.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the bisphosphonates are coadministered with an antibiotic.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the antibiotic is a tetracycline antibiotic, selected from the group consisting of tetracycline, chlortetracycline, demeclocycline, doxycycline, methacycline, oxytetracycline, rolitetracycline, minocycline, sancycline, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.  
     
     
         36 . A method for preventing the development of kidney stones in a patient that has previously suffered from kidney stones, comprising administering an antibiotic to the patient in an amount effective to inhibit or prevent the growth of nanobacteria.  
     
     
         37 . A method for the prevention or treatment of any condition or disease state caused by nanobacteria, said method comprising administering an effective amount to prevent or treat a condition or disease state caused by nanobacteria to a patient in need of such prevention or treatment.  
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 37 , wherein said condition or disease state is chronic fatigue syndrome.  
     
     
         39 . A method for eradicating nanobacteria from liquid materials, comprising sonicating said liquid.  
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein said liquid is cooled during sonication.  
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein said liquid is sonicated for at least about five minutes.