Antibiotic resistance in pathogens was identified as a serious health threat, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality worldwide. The total economic cost of antibiotic resistance to the US and EU healthcare systems was calculated as $20-35 and EUR 1.5 billion a year correspondingly. The emergence of multiresistant pathogens requires the development of new approaches to their control. Probiotic prophylaxes and therapies are gaining wider acceptance as more scientific data emerge regarding the interaction between pathogen and beneficial microbes in the human intestinal tract and molecular mechanisms of probioticsʼ action. Probiotic bacteria which confer beneficial effect for the host and have pronounced antagonistic activity against pathogens is expected to present a clear alternative for control of drug-resistant infections. Bacteria of the Bacillus genus are known as potent producers of a wide variety of antimicrobial compounds. These bacteria are also reputed to promote health benefits on the host. We believe that Bacillus bacteria with high activity against pathogens can be a valuable alternative strategy to control multi-resistant infections.

Our study showed high activity of B. subtilisprobiotic strain against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including multiresistant S. aureus, Salmonella, Candida. We also found an inhibitory effect of this strain on influenza virus in vitro and in vivo studies. New peptide P18, produced by B. subtilis strain was isolated and characterized. Peptide P18 was not toxic and completely inhibited influenza virus at concentration 12.5 µg/mL. In animal studies theantiviral effect of P18 was comparable with Tamiflu. In conclusion, our results showed that Bacillus probiotic can be used as a valuable new approach for treatment of bacterial and viral infections.

Biography:
Dr. Iryna Sorokulova, Professor of Microbiology, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. She received her MS degree in Microbiology from Taras Shevchenko Kiev State University (Ukraine) and Ph.D. and D.Sc. Degrees in Microbiology from Institute of Microbiology and Virology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Dr. Sorokulova is the author of 92 refereed scientific publications, 4 books, and 23 patents (1- US, 1-France; 6-Ukraine, 15-Russia). Six patents are now licensed and commercialized. She created several biotechnological products; some of them are commercially available.