The role of bacterial biofilm in persistent infections and control strategies

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms can be viewed as a specific type of persistent bacterial infection. After initial invasion, microbes can attach to living and nonliving surfaces, such as prosthetics and indwelling medical devices, and form a biofilm composed of extracellular polysaccharides, proteins, and other components. In hosts, biofilm formation may trigger drug resistance and inflammation, resulting in persistent infections. The clinical aspects of biofilm formation and leading strategies for biofilm inhibitors will be discussed in this minireview.