Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) forms biofilms harbouring antibiotic-tolerant bacilli in vitro, but the factors that induce biofilm formation and the nature of the extracellular material that holds the cells together are poorly understood. Here we show that intracellular thiol reductive stress (TRS) induces formation of Mtb biofilms in vitro, which harbour drug-tolerant but metabolically activ...

Microalgal biofilms grown to evaluate potential nutrient removal options for wastewaters and feedstock for biofuels production were studied to determine the influence of bicarbonate amendment on their growth, nutrient uptake capacity, and lipid accumulation after nitrogen starvation. No significant differences in growth rates, nutrient removal, or lipid accumulation were observed in the algal b...

Legionella pneumophila, a facultative intracellular bacterium, is the causative agent of legionellosis. In the environment this pathogenic bacterium colonizes the biofilms as well as amoebae, which provide a rich environment for the replication of Legionella. When seeded on pre-formed biofilms, L. pneumophila was able to establish and survive and was only found at the surface of the biofilms. D...

OBJECTIVES (i) To evaluate the role of the adherent growth mode and extracellular polymer substance build-up in biofilm resistance to antibiotics. (ii) To re-assess various mechanisms leading to biofilm resistance to antibiotics. METHODS We compared the biofilm MICs, biofilm MBCs using the viable count method, biofilm MBCs based on broth recovery methods and minimum biofilm eradication concen...

In the study four types of antibacterial agents were used: Chlorhexidine, Sodium benzoate, Cinnamon oil and Xylitol. These categories of antibacterial agents were selected to represent antibacterial agents of diverse origin and widely differing modes of action. The aim of this study was to compare the four mentioned antibacterials, which are commonly used in toothpastes, mouth rinses and even c...

Staphylococci often form biofilms, sessile communities of microcolonies encased in an extracellular matrix that adhere to biomedical implants or damaged tissue. Infections associated with biofilms are difficult to treat, and it is estimated that sessile bacteria in biofilms are 1,000 to 1,500 times more resistant to antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts. This antibiotic resistance of b...

This study investigates the phenotype of turbulent (Re = 5,200) and laminar (Re = 2,000) flow-generated Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms. Three P. fluorescens strains, the type strain ATCC 13525 and two strains isolated from an industrial processing plant, D3-348 and D3-350, were used throughout this study. The isolated strains were used to form single and binary biofilms. The biofilm physiolog...

This study was based on the hypothesis that biofilms of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa are successfully adapted to situations of protozoan grazing. We tested P. aeruginosa wild type and strains that were genetically altered, in structural and regulatory features of biofilm development, in response to the common surface-feeding flagellate Rhynchomonas nasuta. Early biofilms of...

The fungus Cryptococcus neoformans possesses a polysaccharide capsule and can form biofilms on medical devices. We investigated the efficacy that the combination of a specific antibody to the capsular polysaccharide and antifungal therapy has against cryptococcal biofilms. The antibody enhanced the susceptibility of planktonic cells to antifungal agents, but an antagonistic effect was observed ...

The goal of this article is to present a brief background of biofilms and how they pertain to plastic surgery. Of particular interest are how biofilms affect breast prosthesis and their subsequent complications. The authors also present information on how biofilms are involved in soft-tissue filler complications. After a brief review of the pathophysiology of biofilms and their effect on plasti...