Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Interactions: Cooperation01:26

Microbial Interactions: Cooperation

Microbial cooperation involves beneficial interactions in which different species work together for individual or mutual advantage. These interactions can profoundly influence ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, and they are essential to many pathogenic and symbiotic relationships.Nematode–Bacteria CooperationA striking example is the relationship between the Gram-negative bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Juvenile nematodes...
Microbe-Plant Interactions01:09

Microbe-Plant Interactions

Microbe-plant interactions represent a dynamic spectrum of associations shaped by intricate chemical signaling. These interactions can be neutral, beneficial, or detrimental, and profoundly influence plant physiology, growth, and ecosystem function. The plant microbiome, comprising bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and viruses, plays a pivotal role in mediating these effects through surface colonization, internal colonization, or systemic symbiosis.Mutualistic associations, particularly with...
Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence01:20

Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a variety of strategies to establish infections, including the secretion of extracellular enzymes that act as potent virulence factors. These enzymes facilitate bacterial colonization of host tissues and help evade immune surveillance. By targeting structural components of host tissues and interfering with immune mechanisms, these enzymes play a pivotal role in disease progression.Extracellular Enzymes Facilitating Tissue Invasion: Several bacterial pathogens secrete...
Microbial Interactions: Parasitism01:22

Microbial Interactions: Parasitism

Parasitism is a form of microbial interaction in which parasitic microbes exploit a host organism for nutrients and shelter, often at the host's expense. Unlike mutualistic relationships, where both organisms benefit, parasitism benefits only the parasite and harms the host.Classification of ParasitesMicrobial parasites are broadly classified based on their location relative to the host.Ectoparasites remain on the host’s surface, such as the skin or outer tissues, drawing nutrients...
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

HAT-ECG: Hybrid autoencoder-transformer architecture for ECG arrhythmia classification.

Physiological reports·2026
Same author

A Review of <i>β</i>-Lactamase Inhibitors in Clinical Use and Development: Mechanisms, Spectrum, and Therapeutic Applications.

International journal of microbiology·2026
Same author

An Investigation of Colistin Heteroresistance in <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Isolates in Iran.

BioMed research international·2026
Same author

Alternative approaches to combatting Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilms: A comprehensive review.

Microbial pathogenesis·2026
Same author

Association of IL28B Polymorphisms With Hepatitis C Susceptibility in Southern Iran's β-Thalassemia Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Health science reports·2025
Same author

The emerging role of non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of infantile hemangioma.

Cancer cell international·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Kinetic Visualization of Single-Cell Interspecies Bacterial Interactions
08:33

Kinetic Visualization of Single-Cell Interspecies Bacterial Interactions

Published on: August 5, 2020

Fungal-Bacterial Interactions in Polymicrobial Infections: Hidden Threats.

Mohammad Javad Roustaye Gourabi1, Masoud Kargar2, Atefeh Kamali3

  • 1Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Microbiologyopen
|May 29, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Polymicrobial infections involving fungi and bacteria create drug-resistant biofilms. Effective treatment requires combination strategies targeting multiple pathogens and their biofilms, not single-drug approaches.

Keywords:
antimicrobial resistancebiofilm viscoelasticitydiagnostic Challengesfungal‐bacterial interactionsmixed‐species biofilmstherapeutic strategies

More Related Videos

Microfluidic Tools for Probing Fungal-Microbial Interactions at the Cellular Level
08:19

Microfluidic Tools for Probing Fungal-Microbial Interactions at the Cellular Level

Published on: June 23, 2022

Growing a Cystic Fibrosis-Relevant Polymicrobial Biofilm to Probe Community Phenotypes
03:53

Growing a Cystic Fibrosis-Relevant Polymicrobial Biofilm to Probe Community Phenotypes

Published on: April 19, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Kinetic Visualization of Single-Cell Interspecies Bacterial Interactions
08:33

Kinetic Visualization of Single-Cell Interspecies Bacterial Interactions

Published on: August 5, 2020

Microfluidic Tools for Probing Fungal-Microbial Interactions at the Cellular Level
08:19

Microfluidic Tools for Probing Fungal-Microbial Interactions at the Cellular Level

Published on: June 23, 2022

Growing a Cystic Fibrosis-Relevant Polymicrobial Biofilm to Probe Community Phenotypes
03:53

Growing a Cystic Fibrosis-Relevant Polymicrobial Biofilm to Probe Community Phenotypes

Published on: April 19, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Polymicrobial infections involving fungi and bacteria present significant clinical challenges, amplifying disease severity and treatment failure.
  • These interkingdom communities form coordinated systems through adhesion, quorum sensing, and metabolic interdependence, leading to robust biofilms.
  • The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) pathogens exacerbates this issue, creating a post-antibiotic era scenario.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a unified systems-level framework integrating biochemical, biophysical, and therapeutic aspects of fungal-bacterial polymicrobial infections.
  • To highlight microbial cooperation as the central driver of pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance, and therapeutic failure.
  • To position fungal-bacterial interactions along a continuum from commensalism to pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on fungal-bacterial interactions, biofilm formation, and antimicrobial resistance.
  • Integration of biochemical, biophysical, and clinical data into a systems-level perspective.
  • Discussion of emerging diagnostic technologies and therapeutic strategies.

Main Results:

  • Fungal-bacterial cooperation drives the formation of treatment-recalcitrant biofilms with enhanced immune evasion and multidrug tolerance.
  • Conventional diagnostics are insufficient for complex polymicrobial communities; emerging technologies offer improved resolution.
  • Monotherapy is inadequate; combination strategies targeting multiple pathogens and biofilm infrastructure are essential for effective management.

Conclusions:

  • Effective management of polymicrobial infections necessitates combination therapies, including antibiotic-antifungal combinations, phage therapy, and biofilm disruption agents.
  • Biophysical properties of biofilms, such as viscoelasticity and matrix stiffness, are critical therapeutic targets.
  • Future progress requires interdisciplinary approaches combining multi-omics, precision diagnostics, and microbiome-informed therapeutic design to disrupt complex microbial networks.