The role of bacterial biofilm in persistent infections and control strategies

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms can be viewed as a specific type of persistent bacterial infection. After initial invasion, microbes can attach to living and non-living surfaces, such as prosthetics and indwelling medical devices, and form a biofilm composed of extracellular polysaccharides, proteins, and other components. In hosts, biofilm formation may trigger drug resistance and inflammation, resulting in persistent infections. The clinical aspects of biofilm formation and leading strategies for biofilm inhibitors will be discussed in this mini-review.

Biofilms: Microbial Cities of Scientific Significance

“…The microbial communities within the enclosure comprises of an altered phenotype which in turn physiologically demarcates them from planktonic microorganisms [6]. Clinical studies have confirmed the role of biofilms in causing human infections which accounts up to 60% [7]. Biofilm formation and development is a complex mechanism and a dynamic process which provides a better understanding on biofilms and will lead to novel therapeutic approaches.…”

Detection of Biofilm Coding icaD Gene in Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Isolated from Patients undergoing Tonsillectomy in Basra City

“…A woman who has MRSA may give it to the baby from birth and breast-feeding. Some strains can cause chronic infections and gain increased resistance to antimicrobial agents through biofilm formation (Chen and Wen, 2011). Researchers have investigated the strategies employed by microorganisms to produce biofilms and to understand the pathogenesis.…”

Role of Extracellular Proteases in Biofilm Disruption of Gram Positive Bacteria with Special Emphasis on Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms

“…Staphylococci initially attach either to host tissue or to the surface of a medical device via interaction with surface proteins or molecules respectively [5,16]. The attached bacteria then proliferate and accumulate into multilayered three dimensional cell clusters, which are embedded in an amorphous extracellular polymeric material.…”