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Published on: June 24, 2018
Microbiological diagnosis of biofilm-related infections
María D Macià1, José Luis Del Pozo2, María Díez-Aguilar3
1Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa) y Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa-REIPI.
Abstract:
Biofilm-related infections represent a serious health problem, accounting for 65- 80% of all infections. The infections are generally chronic and characterized by the persistence of the microorganism, due to the increased resistance of biofilms to both the immune system and antimicrobials. Biofilms can be located to almost every human body tissue and on exogenous devices such as catheters, pacemakers, prosthetic material, implants, urinary catheters, etc. Traditional antimicrobial susceptibility studies in clinical microbiology laboratories have lied on the study of planktonic form of microorganisms. However, this approach might lead to miss the biofilm characteristics and to a treatment failure. Microbiological diagnosis and antimicrobial susceptibility studies of biofilm-related infections are complex and, nowadays, represent a challenge that clinicians and microbiologists have to address as a team in the absence of consensus or standardized protocols.
Insights
Biofilm infections are common and persistent due to microbial resistance. Current diagnostic methods for these chronic infections may fail to detect biofilm characteristics, leading to treatment failure.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Biofilm-related infections account for 65-80% of all human infections, presenting significant clinical challenges.
- Biofilms exhibit increased resistance to host immune responses and antimicrobial agents, leading to chronic and persistent infections.
- Microorganisms form biofilms on various human tissues and medical devices, complicating treatment and diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the challenges in diagnosing and treating biofilm-related infections.
- To emphasize the limitations of traditional planktonic antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
- To advocate for a collaborative approach between clinicians and microbiologists for effective biofilm infection management.
Main Methods:
- Review of current diagnostic practices for biofilm-related infections.
- Analysis of the shortcomings of traditional antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
- Discussion of the complexities in microbiological diagnosis of biofilms.
Main Results:
- Traditional methods focusing on planktonic microorganisms may overlook biofilm characteristics.
- Current diagnostic and susceptibility testing protocols for biofilms lack standardization.
- The complexity of biofilm infections contributes to potential treatment failures.
Conclusions:
- Effective management of biofilm infections requires addressing their unique characteristics.
- Standardized protocols for biofilm diagnostics and antimicrobial susceptibility testing are urgently needed.
- A multidisciplinary team approach is crucial for overcoming the challenges posed by biofilm-related infections.
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