Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

Development of a Polymicrobial Colony Biofilm Model to Test Antimicrobials in Cystic Fibrosis
Published on: September 20, 2024
Role of biofilms in chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper airways
1Institute of Otorhinolaringology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Unlabelled:
The objective of our studies was to document the presence of bacterial biofilms in recurrent and chronic infectious diseases of the upper airways (UA) (adenoiditis, tonsillitis, chronic rhinosinusitis) and to assess the association between the presence of biofilm and the maintenance of a chronic inflammation.
Methods:
16 surgical samples of tonsils and adenoids from patients with UA infections and 24 samples of ethmoid mucosa from patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) were cultured using conventional methods and subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to detect evidence of biofilm.
Results:
Bacterial biofilms were observed in 57.5% of chronically infected UA mucosa; in 41.7% of ethmoid mucosa of CRS patients they were significantly (p<0.001) associated with a marked destruction of ciliated epithelium.
Discussion:
Our studies confirm that biofilm formation plays a role in UA infections, it not only explains the resistance of these infections to antibiotic therapy, but also represents an important element that contributes to the maintenance of a chronic inflammatory reaction.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Biofilms
Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
Chronic Inflammation: Introduction
Asthma I: Introduction

