Antimicrobial compounds and compositions, and uses thereof

Abstract

A method of enhancing the growth of an animal is provided. The method includes causing the animal to ingest or absorb an effective amount of one or more Fe III complex compounds, including but not limited to Fe III complexes comprising ligands bound to the iron centre selected from amino acids or α-hydroxy acids, o-hydroxy benzoic acids or pyridine-2-carboxylic acids, such as ferric quinate, ferric tyrosine, ferric DOPA and ferric phenylalanine. Compounds which are structural and/or functional variants, derivatives and/or analogs of the foregoing compounds, as further described herein are also disclosed. Methods for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface; the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments; disinfecting surfaces, potentiating the effects of antibiotics and other anti-microbial agents, and increasing the sensitivity of bacteria and other microorganisms, to anti-microbial agents are also provided.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of treating or preventing microbial infection/colonization in an animal in an amount effective to enhance growth and weight gain, the method comprising administering to the infected or at risk animal a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a medical device or a dietary product comprising the a complex of an α-hydroxy acid with Fe III. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alpha-hydroxy acid is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, mandelic acid, malic acid and tartaric acid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the compound comprises ferric ammonium citrate, ferric citrate, and hydrates or salts thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is selected from the group consisting of poultry, chicken, turkey, ducks; livestock, cattle, sheep, goats, swine; fish, shellfish, domestic animal, human and aquatic animal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising rearing the animal for a period of time less than 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21 or 20 days to permit enhanced growth. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the animal is chicken, fed a total amount of chicken feed that is reduced from a mean average of 123.8 g feed per day, by 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% or more, during its rearing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced growth of an animal includes enhancing one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of enhancing body weight or average body weight (ABW), feed intake or average feed intake (AFD), weight gain average weight gain (AWG), and mortality adjusted feed conversion ratio (MFCR). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical or veterinary product, medical device or dietary product is administered to the animal separately, simultaneously, or sequentially with the administration of one or more antimicrobial agents. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the animal is infected with an antibiotic-resistant microorganism selected from the group consisting of a gram positive bacterium, a gram negative bacterium, a biofilm-forming bacterium,  Streptococcus pneumoniae, Campylobacter, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Salmonella , Methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus  (MRSA),  Shigella , Vancomycin-resistant  Enterococcus  (VRE), Vancomycin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus  (VRSA), Erythromycin-resistant Group A  Streptococcus , Clindamycin-resistant Group B  Streptococcus , Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), drug-resistant tuberculosis, Extended spectrum Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL), multidrug-resistant  Acinetobacter  (including MRAB),  Clostridium difficile , Enteropathogenic  E. coli  (EPEC),  Pseudomonas aeruginosa, H. pylori, Streptococcus anginosus  and Uropathogenic  E. coli  (UPEC),  S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, Campylobacter , and  Pseudomonas  or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the amount of the one or more antimicrobial agents is less than a therapeutically effective or therapeutically optimal dose of the one or more antimicrobial agents when administered to the patient or animal that is not in receipt of the product. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more antimicrobial agent is an antibiotic selected from the group consisting of aminoglycosides, ansaycins, carbapenems, cephalosporins, glycopeptides, lincosamides, lipopeptides, macrolides, monobactams, nitrofurans, oxazolidinones, penicillins, polypeptides, quinolones/fluoroquinolone, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, clofazimine, dapsone, capreomycin, cycloserine, ethambutol, ethionamide, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampicin (rifampin), rifabutin, rifapentine, streptomycin, arsphenamine, chloramphenicol, fosfomycin, fusidic acid, metronidazole, mupirocin, platensimycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, thiamphenicol, tigecycline, tinidazole, and trimethoprim; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more compounds is administered to a subject by parenteral delivery; enteral delivery; oral delivery; topical delivery, buccal delivery; dermal delivery; transdermal delivery; sublabial delivery; sublingual delivery; in combination with dental product selected from the group consisting of toothpaste, a mouthwash, a mouth shield, a dental instrument, dentures, dental retainers, braces a dental floss, toothpicks, bristles of toothbrushes, dental prostheses and orthodontic devices; or in combination with chewable non-food items selected from the group consisting of foods, toys, dog bones and dog biscuits. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the biofilm is associated with a bacterial infection selected from the group consisting of impetigo, boils, abscesses, folliculitis, cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, pyomyositis, surgical/traumatic wound infection, and infected ulcers and burns, osteomyelitis, device-related osteoarticular infections, impetigo, secondarily infected skin lesions, meningitis, brain abscess, subdural empyema, spinal epidural abscess, arterial damage, gastritis, urinary tract infections, biliary tract infections, pyelonephritis, cystitis, sinus infections, ear infections, otitis media, otitis externa, leprosy, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, bloodstream infections, benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic prostatitis, lung infections, osteomyelitis, catheter infections, bloodstream infections, skin infections, acne, rosacea, dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, nosocomial infections, arterial damage, endocarditis, periprosthetic joint infections, open or chronic wound infections, venous stasis ulcers, diabetic ulcers, arterial leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, endocarditis, pneumonia, orthopedic prosthesis and orthopedic implant infections, peritoneal dialysis peritonitis, cirrhosis, and other acute or chronic infection that involves or possesses a biofilm.