Methods for treating an animal

Abstract

Provided herein are methods for treating an animal using a composition that includes active IGF. The methods include treating an animal at risk of having an infection caused by an infectious agent, treating an animal having an infection, and treating a symptom associated with an infection. In one embodiment, the infectious agent is a virus. In one embodiment, the administering includes daily administration of at least 0.05 nanograms of active IGF-1 per kilogram bodyweight of the animal daily (ng/kg), at least 0.1 ng/kg, at least 2 ng/kg, at least 5 ng/kg, or at least 10 ng/kg.

1 . A method comprising:
 administering active IGF to an animal at risk of having an infection caused by an infectious agent, wherein the risk of having an infection is decreased compared to a control animal that is not administered the composition, wherein the infectious agent is human adenovirus, avian influenza, or swine influenza virus.   
     
     
         2 .- 78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IGF is active IGF-1. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the administering comprises oral administration of the active IGF. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80  wherein the oral administration comprises administration of a feed to the animal, wherein the feed comprises the active IGF. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the administering comprises daily administration of at least 0.05 nanograms of active IGF-1 per kilogram bodyweight of the animal daily (ng/kg), at least 0.1 ng/kg, at least 2 ng/kg, at least 5 ng/kg, or at least 10 ng/kg. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IGF-1 administered to the subject is obtained from a natural source that has been processed to increase the amount of active IGF-1. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the administering further comprises administering inactive IGF-1, wherein at least 20% of the total IGF-1 administered is active IGF-1. 
     
     
         85 . A method comprising:
 administering active IGF to an animal having an infection caused by an infectious agent, wherein the composition comprises active IGF-1, wherein the administering results in reducing the amount of infectious agent in the animal, wherein the infectious agent is human adenovirus, avian influenza, or swine influenza virus.   
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the IGF is active IGF-1. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the administering comprises oral administration of the active IGF. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the oral administration comprises administration of a feed to the animal, wherein the feed comprises the active IGF. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the administering comprises daily administration of at least 0.05 nanograms of active IGF-1 per kilogram bodyweight of the animal daily (ng/kg), at least 0.1 ng/kg, at least 2 ng/kg, at least 5 ng/kg, or at least 10 ng/kg. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the IGF-1 administered to the subject is obtained from a natural source that has been processed to increase the amount of active IGF-1. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the administering further comprises administering inactive IGF-1, wherein at least 20% of the total IGF-1 administered is active IGF-1. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 90  wherein the natural source is blood or a blood-derived product. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 90  wherein the natural source is milk or a milk-derived product. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 90  wherein the natural source is colostrum or a colostrum-derived product.