Compositions and methods for treatment or prevention of staphylococcus aureus infections and for the eradication or reduction of staphylococcus aureus on surfaces

Abstract

Compositions and methods for treating or preventing S. aureus infections are provided. The compositions can be formulated as pharmaceutical compositions or as disinfectants, sanitizers, detergents or antiseptics, and can be used to eradicate or reduce S. aureus populations and thereby treat or prevent infection by S. aureus . The compositions include one or more digestive enzymes, for example, one or more protease, lipases, and amylases. Methods of use of the compositions are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for the treatment or prevention of  S. aureus  infection in a bird or a mammal, comprising administering to the bird or mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition that comprises one or more digestive enzymes. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more digestive enzymes comprise one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of a protease, an amylase, a cellulase, a sucrase, a maltase, a papain, and a lipase. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more digestive enzymes comprise one or more pancreatic enzymes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the digestive enzymes comprise pig enzymes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the protease comprises chymotrypsin and trypsin. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more digestive enzymes are, independently, derived from an animal source, a microbial source, a plant source, a fungal source, or are synthetically prepared. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mammal is a pig, a horse, a cow, a dog, a cat, a monkey, a rat, a mouse, a sheep, a goat, or a human, or wherein the bird is a chicken, a duck, a turkey, or a goose 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , where the animal source is a pig pancreas. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises at least one amylase, a mixture of proteases comprising chymotrypsin and trypsin, and at least one lipase. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises at least one protease and at least one lipase, and wherein the ratio of total protease to total lipase (in U.S.P. units) ranges from about 1:1 to about 20:1. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the ratio of protease to lipase ranges from about 4:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pharmaceutical composition is a dosage formulation selected from the group consisting of a pill, a tablet, a capsule, a caplet, a sprinkle, a cream, a lotion, an aerosol, an emulsion, a powder, a liquid, a gel, and a combination of any thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is formulated for oral administration. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is formulated for topical administration. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is formulated for transmucosal administration. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is formulated for application to wounds. 
     
     
         17 . A method of treating a mammal or bird exhibiting one or more symptoms of an  S. aureus  infection comprising administering to the mammal or bird a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising one or more digestive enzymes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  or  17 , further comprising administering a beta-lactam antibiotic to the mammal or bird. 
     
     
         19 . A method for promoting wound healing and/or reducing scarring in a subject with a wound, comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more digestive enzymes to the subject. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is applied to the wound of the subject. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the wound is a surgical wound. 
     
     
         22 . A method for sanitizing or disinfecting a surface to reduce the amount of  S. aureus  thereon or to eradicate the  S. aureus  thereon, comprising applying to the surface a composition comprising one or more digestive enzymes. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the surface is a nonliving or inanimate surface. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the surface is on a medical device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the medical device is selected from a scalpel, knife, scissors, spatula, expander, clip, tweezer, speculum, retractor, suture, surgical mesh, chisel, drill, level, rasp, saw, splint, caliper, clamp, forceps, hook, lancet, needle, cannula, curette, depressor, dilator, elevator, articulator, extractor, probe, staple, catheter, stent, tubing, bowl, tray, sponge, snare, spoon, syringe, pacemaker, screw, plate, and pin. 
     
     
         26 . A method for reducing the amount of  S. aureus  present on a skin region, tissue, or wound of a mammal or bird comprising applying to a skin region, a tissue, or a wound a composition that comprises one or more digestive enzymes. 
     
     
         27 . A disinfectant that comprises one or more digestive enzymes, wherein the disinfectant has a phenol coefficient of >1 to about 20 for  S. aureus  or  E. coli.    
     
     
         28 . An antibiotic that comprises one or more digestive enzymes, wherein the antibiotic is bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic for  S. aureus.    
     
     
         29 . A detergent that comprises one or more digestive enzymes, wherein the detergent is bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic for  S. aureus.    
     
     
         30 . An antiseptic comprising one or more digestive enzymes, wherein the antiseptic is bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic for  S. aureus.    
     
     
         31 . A disinfectant comprising one or more digestive enzymes, wherein the disinfectant is bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic for  S. aureus.