Tag Archives: bacteria

How NOT to Stop Bacterial Biofilms

Most bacteria have at their disposal a smart strategy to escape environmental chemical and physical stresses by forming fortress around themselves known as biofilms. Bacterial biofilm consists of a complex mixture of biopolymers including proteins and DNA. While biofilms are beneficial to bacteria, they are a big problem for public health. For example, bacterial biofilms frequently develop on surgical implants, which may lead to deteriorating performance and further complications. Over 80 percent of all incidences of microbial infections are related to biofilms. Biofilm–associated bacterial cells are inherently more tolerant to antibiotic treatment and can lie dormant to resist the actions of the antibiotics. The development of drugs that can disrupt biofilm formation and disperse existing biofilm is of prime importance.

Continue reading How NOT to Stop Bacterial Biofilms