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Aspergillus Biofilms in Human Disease

Craig Williams1, Ranjith Rajendran2, Gordon Ramage2

  • 1Institute of Healthcare Policy and Practice, University of West of Scotland, High St, Paisley, PA1 2BE, UK. craig.williams@uws.ac.uk.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|June 9, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Aspergillus biofilms are clinically significant and resistant to antifungal drugs. This review covers their clinical importance and management strategies for these filamentous fungi.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • The biofilm phenotype of Aspergillus species is an important clinical entity.
  • While industrially biofilms have been used in biofermentations, their role in clinical infection is less well defined.
  • Recent research shows Aspergillus biofilms form both in vitro and in vivo.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the clinical importance of Aspergillus biofilms.
  • To provide contemporary information on the clinical management of Aspergillus biofilms.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature on Aspergillus biofilms.
  • Analysis of adaptive resistance mechanisms in Aspergillus biofilms.

Main Results:

  • Aspergillus biofilms exhibit exquisite resistance to antifungal therapies.
  • Resistance mechanisms are adaptive and independent of defined genetic changes.

Conclusions:

  • Aspergillus biofilms pose a significant clinical challenge due to their resistance.
  • Effective clinical management strategies are crucial for combating these infections.
Keywords:
Antifungal drugsAspergillosisAspergillus biofilmFilamentous mouldsFungal infections

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