Iron Complexes for Campylobacter Reduction in Poultry

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Solution Overview

Problem

Campylobacter infections in humans, particularly from poultry, pose a significant health risk due to the bacteria's ability to colonize the gastrointestinal tract of chickens and contaminate meat, leading to gastroenteritis and potentially severe sequelae like Guillain-Barre syndrome, with current methods failing to effectively reduce or prevent colonization and transmission.

Innovation Solution

The use of compounds such as tyrosine complexes with FeIII and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine complexes with FeIII administered through animal feed, drinking water, or feed supplements to reduce Campylobacter colonization in poultry, thereby disinfecting the animals before slaughter and preventing biofilm formation and transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional methods are used to control Campylobacter colonization, then the bacteria can still colonize the gastrointestinal tract of poultry, but implementing effective prevention methods is needed to reduce human infection risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of Campylobacter colonizationVSAvoidhuman infection risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The iron complex compounds are administered to poultry through feed or drinking water before slaughter to prevent Campylobacter colonization in the gastrointestinal tract. This preliminary action reduces the bacterial load before the animals reach processing facilities, thereby preventing contamination of meat products and reducing human infection risk from campylobacteriosis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses specific iron complex compounds (ferric quinate, ferrous gluconate, ferric gluconate) that change the chemical environment in the gastrointestinal tract. These compounds selectively inhibit Campylobacter growth by altering iron availability, a critical parameter for bacterial proliferation, while maintaining safety for the animal and consumer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If antibiotics are used to treat Campylobacter infections, then treatment options are available, but antibiotic resistance is developing among Campylobacter strains

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidantibiotic resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The iron complex compounds serve as an intermediary mechanism to control Campylobacter populations through nutritional manipulation rather than direct antibiotic killing. By altering iron availability in the gastrointestinal tract, these compounds inhibit bacterial growth and prevent colonization without selecting for antibiotic-resistant strains, thus avoiding the harmful effect of resistance development

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3068384B1Iron complexes for the reduction of gastrointestinal tract colonisation by campylobacter
Publication Date: 2019.05.08 AKESO BIOMEDICAL INC
  • EP3068384B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3068384B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP3068384B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3E

AI summary

Campylobacterare the commonest reported bacterial causes of gastroenteritis in the UK and industrialized world. This invention relates to a method of preventing or reducing the colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract of an animal with Campylobacter. Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for disinfection of an animal comprising administering to said animal at least one compound that binds to MOMP or FlaA of Campylobacter in an effective amount to reduce the number of Campylobacter present in the gastrointestinal tract of said animal. The present invention also provides a method for preventing or reducing transmission of Campylobacter infection from one animal to another.