An antibody preparation suitable for intravenous administration in humans includes IgG, IgA and at least 5% IgM antibodies by weight of the total amount of antibodies. The preparation is prepared from human plasma, has specific complement activating activity, and, in an in vitro assay with human serum suitable to determine the ability of the antibody preparation to activate complement unspecifically, the antibody preparation generates substantially no C5a and/or substantially no C3a. The antibody preparation can have medical uses.

For many diseases due to microbes or the like, proliferation of microbes themselves is a cause of a symptom. However, there were cases where a substance released by the microbes is a cause of a symptom. In such cases, when attempting to treat a disease with an antibody, it was necessary to obtain an antibody against an antigen that is a substance causing the disease. However, it was difficult to find the underlying substance causing the disease among substances released by the microbes. An antibody (polyclonal) binding to not only an antigen but also to a substance, which is secreted by the antigen and accelerates the deterioration of a symptom, is obtained by immunizing birds with a lysis solution produced from lysing microbial cells as an antigen. Further, an antibody obtained with a surface protein of a virus as an antigen is expected to inhibit an infection by a virus.

The present invention includes the complete genome sequence for the methanogen, Methanobrevibacter ruminan-tium, including polynucleotides which encode M. ruminantium polypeptides or peptides, as well as polynucleotides from non-coding regions. Also included are the encoded M. ruminantium polypeptides and peptides, and antibodies directed to these peptides or polypeptides, in addition to expression vectors and host cells for producing these peptides, polypeptides, polynucleotides, and antibodies. The invention further includes methods and compositions for detecting, targeting, and inhibiting microbial cells, especially methanogen cells such as M. ruminantium cells, using one or more of the disclosed peptides, polypeptides, polynu-cleotides, antibodies, expression vectors, and host cells.

An antibody preparation suitable for intravenous administration in humans includes IgG, IgA and at least 5% IgM antibodies by weight of the total amount of antibodies. The preparation is prepared from human plasma, has specific complement activating activity, and, in an in vitro assay with human serum suitable to determine the ability of the antibody preparation to activate complement unspecifically, the antibody preparation generates substantially no C5a and/or substantially no C3a. The antibody preparation can have medical uses.

The present invention discloses a specific, rapid test differentiating microorganisms by trait, such as distinguishing gram positive and gram negative bacteria, in bodily fluids at point of care. This is achieved through a method of producing a polyclonal antibody targeted towards the particular trait of the microorganism to be tested for, as well as the polyclonal antibody produced by such a method. Also disclosed is a lateral flow point of care test device comprising such a polyclonal antibody, as well as a method of use of such a device.

The invention provides a BASEHIT screening method for identifying proteins that are involved in host-microbe interactions which may function as therapeutic targets.

The disclosure relates to rifamycin analog compounds, intermediates and precursors thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions capable of inhibiting bacterial growth (e.g., S. aureus growth) and treating bacterial infections (e.g., S. aureus infections). The disclosure further relates to antibody-drug conjugates of rifamycin analog compounds and antibodies, for example, antibodies specific for infectious disease-related targets such as membrane glycoprotein receptor (MSR1), wall teichoic acids (WTA) or Protein A, and methods of use thereof to inhibit bacterial growth and treat bacterial infections.

The present invention relates to methods of treating blepharitis and dry eye by inhibiting the binding ability of lid flora bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, thus inhibiting biofilm formation and the increase in bacterial populations and densities that lead to quorum-sensing-gene activation and therefore, the production of inflammatory virulence factors.

The present invention relates to methods of treating blepharitis and dry eye by inhibiting the binding ability of lid flora bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, thus inhibiting biofilm formation and the increase in bacterial populations and densities that lead to quorum-sensing-gene activation and therefore, the production of inflammatory virulence factors.

Hidradenitis suppurativa can be treated by administering a pharmaceutical composition that includes a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that selectively binds IL-1.