Strategies for combating bacterial biofilm infections

Abstract

Antibiotics alone are often ineffective in the treatment of bacterial biofilm infections and new strategies are needed. Once bacteria shift from their free-swimming state to the structured community of a biofilm, they become much harder to kill with conventional antibiotic regimens. A review by Zhi-Jun Song and colleagues at Denmark’s University Hospital of Copenhagen explores the challenges of diagnosing and eliminating biofilms that form on the surface of implanted medical devices. At present, the best solution is early detection followed by aggressive treatment with multiple antibiotics and removal of the device in question. However, recent research suggests other possible solutions, including drugs that interfere with communication between bacteria or disrupt their ability to anchor to surfaces, and viruses that specifically infect and kill biofilm-forming microbes.

Keywords

antibiotic resistance / antimicrobial treatments / bacterial biofilm / chronic infection

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