OBJECTIVES Maggots of the blowfly Lucilia sericata are used for the treatment of chronic wounds. Previously we reported that maggot excretions/secretions (ES) break down Staphylococcus aureus biofilms but do not kill the bacteria. As many antibiotics are not effective against biofilms we assessed the effect of combinations of ES and antibiotics on S. aureus biofilms and on the survival of the b...

Staphylococci are important causes of nosocomial and medical-device-related infections. Their virulence is attributed to the elaboration of biofilms that protect the organisms from immune system clearance and to increased resistance to phagocytosis and antibiotics. Photodynamic treatment (PDT) has been proposed as an alternative approach for the inactivation of bacteria in biofilms. In this stu...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS A potential role for biofilms in Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) has been proposed, and the adverse impact they have on disease severity and postoperative outcomes has also been well described. Recent advances have allowed the species within the biofilms of CRS patients to be clearly characterized. This study investigates whether different biofilm species have different disea...

The study of biofilm ecology and interactions might help to improve our understanding of their resistance mechanisms to control strategies. Concerns that the diversity of the biofilm communities can affect disinfection efficacy have led us to examine the effect of two antimicrobial agents on two important spoilage bacteria. Studies were conducted on single and dual species biofilms of Bacillus ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review the evidence for the presence of bacterial biofilms in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and mechanisms by which they may contribute to the chronic inflammation characteristic of this disease. Lastly, to provide an overview of the current and potential future treatments for bacterial biofilms in CRS. RECENT FINDINGS Advances in the techniques for identifying biofilms ha...

AIM The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different silver nanoparticles (SN) concentrations on the matrix composition and structure of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata biofilms. METHODS AND RESULTS Candida biofilms were developed in 6-well microtiter plates during 48 h. After, these biofilms were exposed to 13.5 or 54 μg SN ml(-1) for 24 h. Then, extracellular matrices were ...

Biofilms are composed of bacterial cells encased in a self-synthesized, extracellular polymeric matrix. Poly-beta(1,6)-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (PNAG) is a major biofilm matrix component in phylogenetically diverse bacteria. In this study we investigated the physical and chemical properties of the PNAG matrix in biofilms produced in vitro by the gram-negative porcine respiratory pathogen Actinoba...

Biofilms are a principal form of microbial growth and are critical to development of clinical infection. They are responsible for a broad spectrum of microbial infections in the human host. Many medically important fungi produce biofilms, including Candida [1], Aspergillus [2], Cryptococcus [3], Trichosporon [4], Coccidioides [5], and Pneumocystis [6]. In this review we emphasize common feature...

Populations of bacteria in biofilms from different sites of a drinking water production system were analysed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses revealed changing DNA band patterns, suggesting a population shift during bank filtration and processing at the waterworks. In addition, common DNA bands that were attributed to ubiquitous bacter...

Biofilm-related infections can develop everywhere in the human body and are rarely cleared by the host immune system. Moreover, biofilms are often tolerant to antimicrobials, due to a combination of inherent properties of bacteria in their adhering, biofilm mode of growth and poor physical penetration of antimicrobials through biofilms. Current understanding of biofilm recalcitrance toward anti...