The Role of Bacterial Biofilm in Antibiotic Resistance and Food Contamination

Abstract

Biofilm is a microbial association or community attached to different biotic or abiotic surfaces or environments. These surface-attached microbial communities can be found in food, medical, industrial, and natural environments. Biofilm is a critical problem in the medical sector since it is formed on medical implants within human tissue and involved in a multitude of serious chronic infections. Food and food processing surface become an ideal environment for biofilm formation where there are sufficient nutrients for microbial growth and attachment. Therefore, biofilm formation on these surfaces, especially on food processing surface becomes a challenge in food safety and human health. Microorganisms within a biofilm are encased within a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances that can act as a barrier and recalcitrant for different hostile conditions such as sanitizers, antibiotics, and other hygienic conditions. Generally, they persist and exist in food processing environments where they become a source of cross-contamination and foodborne diseases. The other critical issue with biofilm formation is their antibiotic resistance which makes medication difficult, and they use different physical, physiological, and gene-related factors to develop their resistance mechanisms. In order to mitigate their production and develop controlling methods, it is better to understand growth requirements and mechanisms. Therefore, the aim of this review article is to provide an overview of the role of bacterial biofilms in antibiotic resistance and food contamination and emphasizes ways for controlling its production.

Bacteriophage-Derived Depolymerases against Bacterial Biofilm

“…Currently, it is believed that over 80% of chronic infectious diseases are caused by biofilms, and it is known that conventional antibiotic medications are inadequate at eradicating these biofilm-mediated infections [ 5 , 27 ]. The spreads of biofilm-related infections cause an intractable problem in modern medicine [ 28 ].…”

“…As reported, the resistance of microorganisms in a biofilm may be related to (i) interaction of the biofilm matrix with antibiotics that can retard and lower their activities, (ii) slow growth rates of bacteria in which drugs are not effective, (iii) genetic changes of target cells or hiding the target sites, (iv) action of the modifying enzymes, (v) generation of persister cells which are tolerant to different antibiotics, (vi) alteration of the chemical microenvironment, (vii) multiple microbial species, and (viii) the age of the biofilm ( Figure 2 ). Thus, this multifactorial nature of bacterial biofilms with respect to antimicrobial tolerance is a great challenge for the use of conventional antibiofilm therapeutic strategies [ 5 , 31 ].…”

“…For example, bacterial biofilms are crucial for effective functions of microbial fuel cells, for efficient production of various products during fermentation, and for biological stages of wastewater treatment [ 4 ]. However, pathogenic bacteria can form biofilms on surfaces of various materials used in medicine, as well as on surfaces of patients’ tissues [ 5 ]. Importantly, the formation of biofilm causes further resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, even if the same bacteria are susceptible to them when occurring in a planktonic form.…”

The Antimicrobial Peptide Temporin G: Anti-Biofilm, Anti-Persister Activities, and Potentiator Effect of Tobramycin Efficacy Against Staphylococcus aureus

“…In nature, bacteria can alternate between a free-swimming (planktonic) life phase and a sessile phenotype called biofilm, where bacterial cells are embedded into a matrix composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) consisting of exopolysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and other biomolecules [ 1 ]. The EPS shields bacterial cells from the action of antibiotics, from the clearance of immune cells, and from external stressful conditions, allowing bacteria to survive in dehydrated and/or nutrient-poor media and to colonize either biological or abiotic surfaces [ 2 , 3 ]. Therefore, bacterial biofilms pose a serious threat to the environment and health, especially in the historical “post-antibiotic era” in which we are living.…”

Encapsulation and Characterization of Meropenem in Niosome Nanoparticles and Inhibitory Effects of Antibiofilm and Antibacterial on Methicillin and Vancomycin Resistant Strains of Staphylococcus Aureus

“…Most of the time, patients might refer to the hospital when the bacteria are in advanced stages and have already formed biofilm structures, in which case most antibiotics would be ineffective(59). Biofilm growth is a significant factor in increased bacterial resistance(60). Therefore, preventing biofilm growth was the key objective of this study.1 MIC, 1/2 MIC, and 2MIC concentrations of various formulations of niosome-encapsulated meropenem and free meropenem were prepared and the ability to inhibit biofilm growth after two hours of being treated with drugs over 24 hours demonstrated biofilm growth and maturation inhibition.…”