Prebiotic compositions comprising one or more types of bacteriophage

Abstract

Disclosed herein are compositions that comprise one or more types of bacteriophage and methods of using such bacteriophages as a prebiotic to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria by decreasing harmful bacterial populations and releasing nutrients into the environment for good bacteria in the digestive system of an individual.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for increasing the growth of probiotic organisms in the digestive system of an individual, comprising administering a composition comprising one or more lytic bacteriophages specific to  Escherichia  family and one or more probiotic organisms chosen from  Lactobacillus  species and  Bifidobacterium  species. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the composition comprises one or more additional bacteriophages specific to  Bacteroides, Bordetella, Borrelia, Brucella, Campylobacter, Chlamydia  and  Chlamydophila, Clostridium, Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Francisella, Haemophilus, Helicobacter, Legionella, Leptospira, Listeria, Mycobacterium, Mycoplasma, Neisseria, Pseudomonas, Rickettsia, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Treponema, Vibrio  and  Yersinia.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the additional bacteriophage is specific to  Bacteroides distasonis, Bacteroides ovatus, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , and  Bacteroides vulgates , or  Bacteroides fragilis.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the bacteriophage is specific to  E. coli  B, Enterotoxigenic  E. coli  (ETEC), or  E. coli  O157:H7. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the probiotic organism is a  Lactobacillus  species. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the probiotic organism is  L. acidophilus, L. amylovorus, L. brevis, L. casei, L. casei  subsp.  rhamnosus  ( Lactobacillus  GG),  L. caucasicus, L. crispatus, L. delbrueckii  subsp.  bulgaricus  ( L. bulgaricus ),  L. fermentum  ( L. fermenti ),  L. gasseri, L. helveticus, L. johnsonii, L. lactis, L. leichmannii, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L. reuteri , or  L. rhamnosus.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the probiotic organism is a  Biifidobacterium  species. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the probiotic organism is one or more  B. adolescentis, B. bifidum, B. breve, B. infantis, B. lactis  ( B. animalis ),  B. licheniformis , and  B. longum.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the probiotic organism is one or more  Enterococcus faecium, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconstoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus acidilactici , and  Streptococcus thermophilus.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the probiotic organism is  Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces boulardii , or  Saccharomyces cerevisiae.    
     
     
         24 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the composition further comprises comprise inulin, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligiosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, polydextrose, lactulose, tagatose, isomaltooligosaccarides, soybean oligosaccharides, lactoferrin, and proanthocyanins. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the amount of bacteriophage in the composition is at least 1×10 4  CFU/g. 
     
     
         26 - 38 . (canceled)