[Bacteria and biofilm in respiratory tract infections]

Biofilm is a structured community of bacterial cells included in a self-produced polymeric matrix adherent to an inert or living surface. The main property of biofilm consists of making microrganisms more resistant to exogenous insults. Antibiotic therapy typically resolves symptoms determined by planktonic cells released by biofilms but is not able to eradicate and completely clear biofilm. This is why infections sustained by biofilm-producer bacteria are often recurrent, making mandatory repeated antibiotic treatments. The typical conformation of biofilm, the phenotypical and genetical features existing among the different microrganisms confer a natural resistance to a number of antimicrobials so that it is necessary to test antimicrobial activity against the microbial species itself and also against biofilm, when it is present. Comparative studies, performed on quinolones and beta-lactams, evidenced a significant activity against biofilm produced by pneumococci, haemophyli and pseudomonas as well.