Biofilm-related disease

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Device Innovation

Background:

• Bacterial biofilms provide protection against antimicrobials and host defenses, enabling pathogen survival and colonization.
• Biofilm-related disease encompasses device-related infections, chronic infections, and medical device malfunctions.
• The prevalence and impact of biofilm-associated infections are increasing, posing a significant public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and define 'biofilm-related disease' as a distinct medical entity.
• To review the pathogenesis, microbiological features, clinical presentation, and treatment challenges of biofilm disease.
• To emphasize the underestimated impact of biofilm-associated infections.

Main Methods:

• This review synthesizes current knowledge on biofilm formation and its clinical implications.
• It highlights the characteristics of biofilm disease, drawing from existing research and clinical observations.
• Expert commentary is incorporated to provide insights into treatment dynamics.

Main Results:

• Biofilm-growing bacteria exhibit high tolerance to conventional antimicrobial agents.
• Persister cells within biofilms contribute to treatment tolerance and infection relapse.
• The diversity of biofilm-associated infections is growing.

Conclusions:

• Biofilm-related disease represents a major public health issue with increasing diversity.
• The high antimicrobial tolerance of biofilms necessitates novel treatment strategies.
• Understanding the role of biofilm microorganisms is key to developing new therapeutic dynamics for biofilm-related disease.