Antibiotic Resistant Pathogenic Bacteria and Their Resistance Genes in Bacterial Biofilms

Abstract

Biofilm-forming bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment and also include biofilm-forming pathogens. Environmental biofilms may form a reservoir for risk genes and may act as a challenge for human health. Examples of the health relevance of biofilms are the increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria hosted in biofilms in hospital and environment and consequently the interaction of these bacteria with human cells, e.g. in the immune system. Although data concerning the occurrence and spread of resistant bacteria within hospital care units are available, the fate of these bacteria in the environment and especially in the aquatic environment has barely been investigated. Once antibiotic resistant bacteria have entered the environment, a back coupling by ingestion or other possible entry into the host has to be prevented. Therefore a strategy to investigate paths of entry, accumulation and spread of resistant bacteria in environmental compartments has been developed using quantitative determination of genetic resistance determinants. Additionally a bacterial bioassay assessed bioeffectivity thresholds of low antibiotic concentrations. This approach enables an evaluation of the potential of contaminated waters to exert a selection pressure on bacterial communities and thus promote the persistence of resistant organisms. Completed with an indicator system for the identification of sources of multiresistant bacteria a concept for monitoring and evaluation of environmental compartments with respect to their potential of antibiotic resistance dissemination is suggested.

Estimation of Residual Antibiotics in Pharmaceutical Effluents and their Fate in Affected Areas

“…Frequent contact of the bacteria with even minor concentrations of antibiotics can cause the occurrence or persistence of resilient bacteria strains [17][18][19][20][21]. Earlier research showed that the maximum of the antibiotics in the environment showed straight hazardous properties [22,23] and bad effects [24][25][26].…”

Resistance of oxidative stress in biofilm and planktonic cells

“…The most common explanation of the bacterial biofilm durability is the mechanism of secretion of antibiotic-degrading enzymes, which reduces the possibility of penetration of the antimicrobial substances to the lower layers of cells (Stewart and Costerton 2001;Obst et al 2006;Chaignon et al 2007;Hoiby et al 2010;Banerjee et al 2011) . Another common argument is based on emerging multi-layer construction of the structure of the biofilm, which also impedes the penetration of antimicrobial substances (Etienne et al 2005;An et al 2008).…”

Echinoderm Antimicrobial Peptides to Contrast Human Pathogens

“…Antibiotics can be efficacious against planktonic (free living) pathogens but are quite often poorly effective against the bacteria organized in community which can increase antibiotic resistance by up to 1000 fold [43]. Biofilm structured bacteria develop a multifactorial mechanism of resistance to antibiotics, but the most important factor of tolerance is due to the slow growth and low metabolic activity of bacterial cells in the internal layer of community, so they are intrinsically resistant to conventional antibiotics which target dividing and metabolically active cells.…”