The role of microbial biofilms in prosthetic joint infections

Abstract

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) still remains a significant problem. In line with the forecasted rise in joint replacement procedures, the number of cases of PJI is also anticipated to rise. The formation of biofilm by causative pathogens is central to the occurrence and the recalcitrance of PJI. The subject of microbial biofilms is receiving increasing attention, probably as a result of the wide acknowledgement of the ubiquity of biofilms in the natural, industrial, and clinical contexts, as well as the notorious difficulty in eradicating them. In this review, we discuss the pertinent issues surrounding PJI and the challenges posed by biofilms regarding diagnosis and treatment. In addition, we discuss novel strategies of prevention and treatment of biofilm-related PJI.

Synergistic effects of heat and antibiotics on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

“…The behavior of these sessile bacteria is significantly different than their planktonic, or free swimming, counterparts, making them much more robust and difficult to eradicate (Anwar et al 1992; Costerton et al 1999; Piddock 2006). Biofilms foul industrial surfaces (Abdallah et al 2014) and in medical settings they cause a wide range of infections and sterility issues in hospitals (Rohde et al 2007; Francolini & Donelli 2010; Gbejuade et al 2015). Biofilms are a growing concern for both the medical and industrial fields since they form resistant infections by encasing themselves in a protective layer called extracellular polymeric substance (EPS).…”

“…The transport limitations mentioned above are due largely to the EPS surrounding the bacteria and limiting the transport of antibiotics to the bacterial cells (Anderl et al 2003; Walters III et al 2003). This slower transport of antibiotics can result in concentrations below the minimum inhibition concentration, which not only fail to eradicate the biofilm, but have also been shown to increase the likelihood of evolutionary resistance to that antibiotic in the biofilm (Gbejuade et al 2015; Howlin et al 2015). Another consequence of EPS transport limitation is the nutrient gradient in the biofilm and the resulting variation in metabolic activity among the bacteria.…”

Toward plasmonic monitoring of surface effects on bacterial quorum-sensing

“…In healthcare, the formation of biofilms by pathogenic bacteria are implicated in a variety of infections, and is complicated by their resistance to antibiotics and persistent behavior (Figure 1d) [1, 22,23]. Perhaps the most troubling example of problems caused by bacterial biofilms in a healthcare setting is in the formation of biofilms on medical surfaces and instruments in hospitals, leading to nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections, which have been on the rise in recent years [24].…”

Metagenomic approach to study biofilm in medical context

“…They can directly colonize human surfaces or they colonize medical devices and contaminate patients that depend of such devices as catheters, endotracheal tubes, joint implants, breast implants and others (21)(22)(23)(24). The biofilm formed in these devices serves as a source of pathogenic microorganisms that may cause acute or chronic infections.…”