Biofilms in Disease

Abstract

Clinically related research on biofilms has expanded exponentially in the past 10 years owing to the pandemic of nosocomial (hospital-related) infections. Biofilms are thought to cause a significant amount of all human microbial infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nosocomial infections are the fifth leading cause of death in the USA, with >2 million cases annually (or similar to 10% of American hospital patients). The difficulty of eradicating biofilm bacteria with classic systemic antibiotic treatments is a prime concern of medicine. Biofilm bacteria can be up to a thousand times less susceptible to antimicrobial stress than their freely suspended counterparts. This chapter discusses the pathogenesis of a number of biofilm-mediated infections, including: oral infections, biomedical device based infections, osteomyelitis, otitis media, and others. Emerging research in biofilm control and prevention is also reviewed. PU - CAISTER ACADEMIC PRESS PI - WYMONDHAM PA - 32 HEWITTS LANE, WYMONDHAM NR 18 0JA, ENGLAND