The disclosure relates to the combined use of an immunotherapeutic composition comprising recombinant Listeria strains expressing a heterologous antigen fused to a truncated listeriolysin O (tLLO), a truncated ActA protein, or a PEST amino acid sequence and an antibiotic regimen, which may be sequentially administered in order to prevent the persistence, seeding of Listeria and/or formation of Listeria biofilms while allowing for an anti-tumor/anti-cancer or anti infectious disease immunotherapeutic response to take place. Disclosed are also methods of inducing an immune response, and treating, inhibiting, or suppressing cancer or tumors comprising administering the above composition.