Abstract:
The invention relates to the use of  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT618 (ATCC PTA-122188) for inhibiting  Clostridium  pathogens in a material such as water or manure contaminated with the pathogen. The strain can be added to drinking water, animal feed or animal litter to reduce disease caused by the presence of  Clostridium  in an animal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure concerns the use of a novel strain of  Bacillus licheniformis  for improving safety and reducing incidents of disease in humans and animals. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       Bacillus licheniformis  bacterium is a gram-positive, mesophilic bacterium that is commonly found in the soil and on bird feathers, especially on the chest and back plumage of ground-dwelling and aquatic birds. It is cultured to obtain protease for use in laundry detergent. Other applications that have been explored include use in synthesis of gold nanoparticles and as an agent to fight tooth decay. 
       Clostridium  is a gram positive bacterium capable of forming spores and colonizing the intestines of humans and animals of agricultural importance such as cattle, poultry, and swine. There are a variety of  Clostridium  species that are troublesome pathogens in both humans and animals. Not only do the bacteria themselves present problems in terms of their pathogenicity, they also produce toxins that can cause extreme health effects in humans and animals. In humans, the  Clostridium  bacteria from the species  botulinum  produces the botulism toxin that can cause muscle paralysis; the  perfringens  species causes food poisoning and gas gangrene in people and enterotoxaemia in sheep and goats; the  tetani  species causes tetanus, resulting in lockjaw or spastic paralysis in humans, cattle, dogs and other animals; the  sordelli  species causes pneumonia, endocarditis, arthritis, peritonitis and myonecrosis, as well as toxic shock syndrome. 
     The  difficile  species is of concern to human and animals for colitis. It is capable of colonizing the intestines of humans and animals, including horses, cattle, poultry and swine. Much foodborne illness is also linked to  C. difficile . In humans,  C. difficile  is most commonly known for its ability to cause disease in hospitalized patients who are being treated with antibiotics or chemotherapy for an infection from another bacterium. During this time, exposure to  C. difficile , which is resistant to many common antibiotics, takes advantage of the reduction of colonic flora, growing rapidly and causing severe diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain. 
     Many cases of  C. difficile  infection have been reported from non-hospitalized patients where the source is believed to be mainly foodborne illness.  C. difficile  has been isolated from animal fecal samples of agricultural importance such as cattle, poultry, and swine and also from food products which come from these produce. This link is believed to be the source of many cases of foodborne illness. 
     Accordingly, new and effective methods to inhibit  C. difficile  and other  Clostridium  species, along with new and effective methods to prevent them from producing the harmful toxins are desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The novel strain of  Bacillus licheniformis  (strain OBT618) has utility in various processes that improve food safety and decontaminate water, food processing equipment, holding pens, manure, treating ponds, farm runoff, aquaculture facilities, and the like, and thereby reduce incidents of disease in animals and humans. 
     The processes generally involve contacting liquid, solid or semi-solid materials contaminated with a pathogenic microorganism with an amount of  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT618 that is effective to have an inhibitory effect on the pathogenic microorganism. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  (SEQ ID NO: 1) is the relevant sequence for  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT618. 
         FIG. 2  is a graph illustrating Toxin CDT-A and CDT-B concentration of two  Clostridium  cultures that are identical except for the addition of OBT618 to one of the samples. 
         FIG. 3  is a graph illustrating bacteria populations or concentrations for two  Clostridium  cultures that are identical except for the addition of OBT618 to one of the two samples. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It has been discovered that the novel  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT618 exhibits an inhibitory effect on pathogens of  Clostridium  and has many applications that can improve safety and reduce incidents of disease in humans and animals. 
     The term “inhibit” means to reduce or arrest growth and/or reproduction of  Clostridium  species, and/or to reduce or arrest production by and/or secretion of toxins from  Clostridium . The term “inhibit” also encompasses killing  Clostridium  species and/or reducing or arresting the pathogenic or toxic effects of  Clostridium  species. 
     The term “effective amount” means an amount that will achieve a desired inhibitory effect to reduce incidents of diseases caused by pathogens of  Clostridium . Effective amounts for particular applications can be determined by routine experimentation. 
     Disclosed is a novel strain of bacterium that produces specific types of useful enzymes, metabolites and antibiotics to inhibit both the growth and toxin production from  Clostridium  species. These enzymes, metabolites and antibiotics reduce the potential for illness and disease by using the OBT618 bacterium. 
     Wastewater contaminated with  C. difficile  can be treated with the novel OBT618 by spraying, direct inoculation of a liquid or a powder or a block containing the bacteria to reduce the  C. difficile  contamination and to reduce the toxin production from the  C. difficile  or other  Clostridium  species. 
     Lagoons, manure piles, or pens containing waste from pig, cattle, sheep, chicken and equine can be treated with the novel OBT618 by spraying or dispersing in a powder form the bacteria to reduce the  C. difficile  contamination and to reduce the toxin production from the  C. difficile  or other  Clostridium  species. 
     Animal feed can be treated by using the novel OBT618 bacterium as a direct fed microbial to either mix with the feed or as a separate feed supplement to reduce intestinal  C. difficile  colitis outbreaks and to reduce internal toxin production by  Clostridium  species. 
     Animal water can be treated by using the novel OBT618 bacterium to reduce the abundance and spread of  C. difficile  in drinking water and to inoculate the animal&#39;s intestinal tract to reduce intestinal  C. difficile  colitis outbreaks and to reduce internal toxin production by  Clostridium  species. 
     Chicken litter or other animal litter can be treated by using the novel OBT618 bacterium to spray the litter to reduce intestinal  C. difficile  colitis outbreaks and to reduce internal toxin production by  Clostridium  species in the animal. 
     Meat processing or food processing facility waste can be treated with the novel OBT618 bacterium by spraying, direct inoculation of a liquid or a powder or a block containing the bacterium to reduce the  C. difficile  contamination and to reduce the toxin production from the  C. difficile  or other  Clostridium  species. 
     Farm ponds can be treated with the novel OBT618 by spraying, direct inoculation of a liquid or a powder or a block containing the bacteria to reduce the  C. difficile  contamination and to reduce the toxin production from the  C. difficile  or other  Clostridium  species. 
     The effect of adding OBT618 to a  Clostridium  culture producing CDT-A and CDT-B toxins is shown in  FIG. 2 . The addition of the  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT618 reduces CDT-A and CDT-B toxin production to a substantially lower level. 
     The effect of adding OBT618 to a  Clostridium  culture population is shown in  FIG. 3 . The addition of  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT618 profoundly reduces the  Clostridium  bacteria population. 
     The described embodiments are preferred and/or illustrated, but are not limiting. Various modifications are considered within the purview and scope of the appended claims. 
     The  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT618 was deposited under the Budapest Treaty and will be irrevocably and without restriction or condition released to the public upon issuance of a patent. The  Bacillus licheniformis  strain OBT 618 was deposited May 29, 2015 at the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), P.O. Box 1549, Manassas, Va. 20108 and given accession number PTA-122188.