Chemotherapeutic compositions

A method for treatment of piglets afflicted with gastrointestinal disease, gastrointestinal infection or diarrhea resulting from the infection of the gastrointestinal tract by a microbe, comprising:

• orally administering to or feeding to said animal a feed composition or water comprising an antimicrobially effective amount of a polymer or copolymer of acrolein up to 5000 mg of polymer or copolymer of acrolein per kilogram of body weight per day, said polymer or copolymer of acrolein having a molecular weight of greater than 1000 and having a repeating polymeric unit selected from the group consisting of formula I;
• and forms thereof selected from the group consisting of the hydrated, hemiacetal and acetal forms thereof and wherein the polymer or copolymer comprises carboxyl groups at concentration of from 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer or copolymer, wherein said feed composition or water does not contain an effective amount of another antimicrobial agent.

A method for treatment of piglets or poultry afflicted with gastrointestinal disease, gastrointestinal infection or diarrhea resulting from the infection of the gastrointestinal tract or for promoting weight gain, comprising:

• orally administering to said piglets or poultry a feed composition or water comprising an antimicrobially effective and therapeutically effective amount of a polymer formed by polymerization of acrolein monomer and having a molecular weight of at least 1,000 and wherein the polymer comprises carboxyl groups at a concentration of from 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer, said carboxyl groups having been introduced by heating the polymer in air or oxygen.

A method of treating weaned pigs afflicted with gastrointestinal disease, gastrointestinal infection or diarrhea resulting from the infection of the gastrointestinal tract by a microbe, said method comprising:

• orally administering to or feeding to said weaned pigs a feed composition or water comprising an antimicrobially effective and therapeutically effective amount of a polymer or copolymer of acrolein up to 5000 mg of polymer or copolymer of acrolein per kilogram of body weight per day, wherein said polymer or copolymer of acrolein has a molecular weight of greater than 1000 and has a repeating polymeric unit selected from the group consisting of formula I:
• and forms thereof, said forms thereof selected from the group consisting of the hydrated, hemiacetal and acetal forms thereof, and wherein the polymer or copolymer comprises carboxyl groups at a concentration in the polymer of 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer or copolymer.

A method of treating weaned pigs for promoting weight gain in said weaned pigs, said method comprising:

• orally administering to or feeding to said weaned pigs a feed composition or water comprising an antimicrobially effective and therapeutically effective amount of a polymer or copolymer of acrolein up to 5000 mg of polymer or copolymer of acrolein per kilogram of body weight per day, wherein said polymer or copolymer of acrolein has a molecular weight of greater than 1000 and has a repeating polymeric unit selected from the group consisting of formula I:
• and forms thereof, said forms thereof selected from the group consisting of the hydrated, hemiacetal and acetal forms thereof, and wherein the polymer or copolymer comprises carboxyl groups at a concentration in the polymer of 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer or copolymer.

A method of treating poultry afflicted with gastrointestinal disease, gastrointestinal infection or diarrhea resulting from the infection of the gastrointestinal tract by a microbe, said method comprising:

• orally administering to or feeding to said poultry a feed composition or water comprising an antimicrobially effective and therapeutically effective amount of a polymer or copolymer of acrolein up to 5000 mg of polymer or copolymer of acrolein per kilogram of body weight per day, wherein said polymer or copolymer of acrolein has a molecular weight of greater than 1000 and has a repeating polymeric unit selected from the group consisting of formula I:
• and forms thereof, said forms thereof selected from the group consisting of the hydrated, hemiacetal and acetal forms thereof, and wherein the polymer or copolymer comprises carboxyl groups at a concentration in the polymer of 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer or copolymer.

A method of treating poultry for promoting weight gain in said poultry, said method comprising:

• orally administering to or feeding to said poultry water comprising an antimicrobially effective and therapeutically effective amount of a polymer or copolymer of acrolein up to 5000 mg of polymer or copolymer of acrolein per kilogram of body weight per day, wherein said polymer or copolymer of acrolein has a molecular weight of greater than 1000 and has a repeating polymeric unit selected from the group consisting of formula I:
• and forms thereof, said forms thereof selected from the group consisting of the hydrated, hemiacetal and acetal forms thereof, and wherein the polymer or copolymer comprises carboxyl groups at a concentration in the polymer of 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer or copolymer.

A method for treatment of weaner piglets afflicted with gastrointestinal infection resulting from the infection of the gastrointestinal tract by E. coli, said method comprising:

• orally administering to said weaner piglets via drinking water an effect amount of a composition comprising a therapeutic agent consisting essentially of a polymer of acrolein in an amount up to 5000 mg of polymer of acrolein per kilogram of body weight per day, said polymer of acrolein having a molecular weight of at least 1000 and a repeating unit selected from the group consisting of units of formula I:
• and units derived from the unit formula I selected from the group consisting of the hydrated, hemiacetal and acetal forms thereof, and wherein the polymer comprises carboxyl groups at concentration of from 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer.

A method for the treatment of poultry or piglets afflicted with infection of the gastrointestinal tract by microbes, said method comprising:

• orally administering to said poultry or piglets an effective antimicrobial amount of a composition comprising a therapeutic agent consisting essentially of a polymer or copolymer of acrolein in an amount up to 5000 mg of polymer or copolymer of acrolein per kilogram of body weight per day, said polymer or copolymer of acrolein having a molecular weight of at least 1000 and a repeating unit selected from the group consisting of units of formula I;
• and units derived from the unit formula I selected from the group consisting of the hydrated, hemiacetal and acetal forms thereof, and wherein the polymer or copolymer comprises carboxyl groups at concentration of from 0.1 to 5 moles of carboxyl groups per kilogram of polymer or copolymer.