Topic > Treatment of Bacterial Biofilm Infections

Bacterial biofilms are now the dominant bacterial growth lifestyle in several habitats, including natural and clinical environments. Bacterial cells switch from free-living planktonic mode to biofilm growth mode, through multiple mechanisms that include adhesion to a substrate, increasing their aggregation into microcolonies and mature biofilms through matrix formation through the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Biofilm growth mode is involved in chronic infections. It is estimated that 65-80% of human infections are due to biofilms, which represent a huge burden on healthcare systems globally. PA is an opportunistic pathogen with the ability to colonize a wide range of hosts and/or substrates and produce biofilms. PA biofilms found in cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic infections lead to premature death. Even with biofilms on medically relevant devices such as central venous and urinary catheters, stents, orthopedic implants, mechanical heart valves and contact lenses, such infections remain extremely difficult to treat with a massive impact on healthcare funding. Planktonic PA cells within biofilms have demonstrated a slow growth rate that has withstood many therapeutic doses of antimicrobial agents due to substantially decreased antibiotic uptake [15-16] and/or cell-mediated host defenses . As a result, the clinical management of these biofilm-enclosed bacteria has become intractable. BP has played an important role in nosocomial infections, while pulmonary cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal disease. Both conventional antibiotics and the host's immune defense often fail to clear the pathogen from the lungs and increase chronic infections that are punctuated by acute exacerbations of disease and inflammation, usually resulting in lung failure and high morbidity among patients . However, PA biofilm infections extend beyond CF diseases, especially with diabetic patients. Because they are vulnerable to developing chronic wounds, these wounds do not heal, and the biofilms associated with long-term infections lead to costs of tens of thousands of dollars per year for patients. Numerous cases of mucoid PA phenotype result in pulmonary failure and high morbidity among patients. In addition to elastase, extracellular DNA, lipids, extracellular polysaccharide, and rhamnolipids, the polysaccharide alginate represents one of the most significant virulence factors for mucoid phenotypes, where sputum culture from cystic fibrosis patients has shown high quantities of alginate with a reflection of the massive production of antibodies against alginates including Classes IgG and IgA. Additionally, antibiotic resistance has been attributed to alginate production. These characteristics make biofilm infections extremely difficult to treat, and this is especially problematic during a hospital stay. Creating an effective antibiofilm strategy represents one of the greatest challenges, because conventional antibiotics are no longer an effective choice for treating biofilms, but increase resistance to pathogens. Alginate has become an executive target to reduce chronic diseases by reducing their viscosity in clinical cultures using alginate lyase. Eliminates biofilms from surfaces, promotes the rate of AP killing by human immune cells, and improves the effectiveness of antibiotics.