Understanding bacterial biofilms: From definition to treatment strategies

• Published in: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology Vol. 13; p. 1137947
• Main Authors: Zhao, Ailing, Sun, Jiazheng, Liu, Yipin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 06.04.2023
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; antibiotic resistance; Bacteria; bacterial biofilms; Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; biofilm detection; Biofilms; Cellular and Infection Microbiology; Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix; Humans; infection; treatment; biofilm detection; treatment; infection; bacterial biofilms; antibiotic resistance
• ISSN: 2235-2988; 2235-2988
• DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1137947

Bacterial biofilms are complex microbial communities encased in extracellular polymeric substances. Their formation is a multi-step process. Biofilms are a significant problem in treating bacterial infections and are one of the main reasons for the persistence of infections. They can exhibit increased resistance to classical antibiotics and cause disease through device-related and non-device (tissue) -associated infections, posing a severe threat to global health issues. Therefore, early detection and search for new and alternative treatments are essential for treating and suppressing biofilm-associated infections. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the formation of bacterial biofilms, associated infections, detection methods, and potential treatment strategies, aiming to provide researchers with the latest progress in the detection and treatment of bacterial biofilms.