Immune priming to accelerate/enhance immune response through administration of natural immune modulator

Abstract

A method and compound for altering the status of both innate and adaptive immune pathways in both animals and humans are disclosed. The status alteration results in the immune response being primed whereby an accelerated and more robust response is generated when the animal or human is challenged by pathogens that lead to a wide range of disease states. The disclosed method utilizes a compound derived from a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria. The compound itself is a natural product with no observed adverse environmental impact. By priming the immune pathways according to the disclosed inventive concept, the severity of various disease states can be reduced, can be resolved more quickly, or can be avoided entirely.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of altering immunometabolism in early life stage animals comprising:
 forming a bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide treatment compound; and   administering an effective amount of the treatment compound to the animal to prime the animal's innate and adaptive immune pathways against disease.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the effective amount of the treatment compound is administered beginning Day 1 of the life of the animal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment compound is derived from  Variovorax paradoxus.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide treatment compound is an algal composition derived from  Variovorax paradoxus.    
     
     
         5 . A method of priming an immune response in an animal for the prevention of disease, the method comprising feeding the animal an effective amount of a composition comprising a lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria, the method including the step of feeding the animal the effective amount of the composition commencing on Day 1 of the life of the animal;
 feeding the animal the composition after Day 1 and maintaining the daily composition feed regimen throughout the lifetime of the animal;   wherein the method further includes the step of monitoring the animal for the presence of infection or lesions.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of monitoring includes monitoring the animal for coccidial infection or for cecal lesions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , whereby the composition is mixed with a feed ration portion prior to feeding the animal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria is fed to the animal in an amount providing from about 0.5 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed to about 11.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria is fed to the animal in an amount providing from about 1.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed to about 5.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria is fed to the animal in an amount providing from about 3.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed to about 4.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria is formulated for feeding to bovine, porcine, avian, equine, ovine, lapine, and caprine species. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said Gram-negative bacteria is a member of the group  Variovorax.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said member of the group  Variovorax  is  Variovorax paradoxus.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria composition is for the prevention and treatment of coccidiosis in poultry. 
     
     
         15 . A method of priming the immune system of an animal against coccidiosis, comprising administering feed including a non-antibiotic composition in the form of a lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria in an amount effective to minimize the risk of the animal becoming infected with coccidiosis, the composition being fed to the animal in an amount providing from about 0.5 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed to about 11.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria is fed to the animal in an amount providing from about 1.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed to about 5.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria is fed to the animal in an amount providing from about 3.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed to about 4.0 lbs. composition per ton of finished feed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition comprising the lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria is formulated for feeding to bovine, porcine, avian, equine, ovine, lapine, and caprine species. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said Gram-negative bacteria is a member of the group  Variovorax.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said member of the group  Variovorax  is  Variovorax paradoxus.    
     
     
         21 . A composition for the treatment of coccidiosis in animals, the composition comprising effective amounts of a feed ingredient including a biomass selected from the group consisting of one or more of a supernatant, symbiont bacteria, bacterial biomass, and bacterial fermentate, 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 21  wherein the feed ingredient includes a lipopolysaccharide derived from Gram-negative bacteria.