Compositions comprising bacterial strains

A method of treating or preventing a condition mediated by the Th17 pathway in a subject, comprising:

• administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition containing a bacterial strain that comprises a 16s rRNA sequence with at least 96% homology to SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4;
• wherein said administering is effective to reduce the level of at least one cytokine of the Th17 pathway in the subject relative to the level of said at least one cytokine prior to the administering, thereby treating or preventing said condition mediated by the Th17 pathway in the subject.

A method of treating or preventing a condition mediated by the Th17 pathway in a subject, comprising:

• administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a bacterial strain which is at least one of Blautia stercoris and Blautia wexlerae;
• wherein the administering of the pharmaceutical composition to the subject reduces a level of a cytokine of the Th17 pathway in the subject relative to the level of said cytokine prior to the administering;
• thereby treating or preventing said condition mediated by the Th17 pathway.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one bacterial strain of Blautia stercoris or Blautia wexlerae;

• wherein the bacterial strain is lyophilised and/or the pharmaceutical composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, diluent, or carrier.

A food product containing a single bacterial strain that comprises a polynucleotide sequence that is a 16s rRNA sequence with at least 96% homology to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4.