Concepts in disinfection of bacterial populations

Bacteria are responsible for a range of human diseases that are difficult to clear for a variety of reasons. Understanding the multilayered mechanisms that protect pathogens is of primary importance for developing effective treatments. Research over the past several decades has shown that bacteria can seek protected environments passively by avoiding deadly environments or actively by manipulating their phenotypic expression and gathering in structured biofilm communities. This article outlines the main tolerance mechanisms that have been studied and describes many of the mathematical models that indicate directions for new treatments. It is essential to understand that bacterial populations exploit a range of mechanisms to survive challenges and the mechanisms are often intertwined. This provides an opportunity for mathematical modeling to help provide insights into experiments that may uncouple particular mechanisms or optimize treatments.