Compositions comprising bacterial strains

Abstract

The invention provides compositions comprising bacterial strains for treating and preventing brain injury.

1 .- 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method of treating a brain injury in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a composition that comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a bacteria strain of the genus  Blautia , wherein the bacteria strain comprises a 16S rRNA gene sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, and wherein the administering is effective to treat the brain injury. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the administering is effective to improve a loss of neurological function, motor abilities and/or social recognition associated with the brain injury. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the brain injury is resulting from a trauma, a tumor, a brain hemorrhage, an encephalitis, a cerebral hypoxia, or a cerebral anoxia. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the brain hemorrhage is an intracerebral hemorrhage, an intraparenchymal hemorrhage, an intraventricular hemorrhage, or a subarachnoid hemorrhage. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the brain injury is caused by a cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a brain aneurysm, or a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM). 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount comprises from about 1×10 3  to about 1×10 11  colony forming units (CFU). 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the composition comprises the bacterial strain in an amount of from about 1×10 6  to about 1×10 11  colony forming units per gram (CFU/g), with respect to the weight of the composition. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the composition comprises no more than de minimis amounts of other bacteria strains. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bacteria strain is live. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bacteria strain is capable of at least partially colonizing an intestine of the subject. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the administering comprises oral, rectal, nasal, buccal, sublingual, or subcutaneous administration. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the composition is formulated for delivery to an intestine of the subject. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the composition is encapsulated. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bacteria strain is lyophilized. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bacteria strain is of the species  Blautia hydrogenotrophica.    
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bacteria strain comprises a 16S rRNA gene sequence having at least 98% sequence identity to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bacteria strain comprises a 16S rRNA gene sequence that is the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bacteria strain is the strain deposited under accession number DSM 14294 or a biotype of the strain deposited under accession number DSM 14294. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the biotype is a bacteria strain that has the same carbohydrate fermentation pattern as the bacteria strain deposited under accession number DSM 14294. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or carrier.