Biofilms represent an adaptive lifestyle where microbes grow as structured aggregates in many different environments, e.g. on body surfaces and medical devices. They are a profound threat in medical (and industrial) settings and cause two-thirds of all infections. Biofilm bacteria are especially recalcitrant to common antibiotic treatments, demonstrating adaptive multidrug resistance. For this reason, novel methods to eradicate or prevent biofilm infections are greatly needed. Recent advances have been made in exploring alternative strategies that affect biofilm lifestyle, inhibit biofilm formation, degrade biofilm components and/or cause dispersal. As such, naturally derived compounds, molecules that interfere with bacterial signaling systems, anti-biofilm peptides and phages show great promise. Their implementation as either stand-alone drugs or complementary therapies has the potential to eradicate resilient biofilm infections. Additionally, altering the surface properties of indwelling medical devices through bioengineering approaches has been examined as a method for preventing biofilm formation. There is also a need for improving current biofilm detection methods since in vitro methods often do not accurately measure live bacteria in biofilms or mimic in vivo conditions. We propose that the design and development of novel compounds will be enabled by the improvement and use of appropriate in vitro and in vivo models.
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April 2017
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Review Article|
April 07 2017
Alternative strategies for the study and treatment of clinical bacterial biofilms
Corrie R. Belanger
;
Corrie R. Belanger
*
1
Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Sarah C. Mansour
;
Sarah C. Mansour
*
1
Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Daniel Pletzer
;
Daniel Pletzer
*
1
Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Robert E.W. Hancock
1
Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Correspondence: Robert E.W. Hancock (bob@hancocklab.com)
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Emerg Top Life Sci (2017) 1 (1): 41-53.
Article history
Received:
January 19 2017
Revision Received:
February 24 2017
Accepted:
February 28 2017
Citation
Daniel Walker, Corrie R. Belanger, Sarah C. Mansour, Daniel Pletzer, Robert E.W. Hancock; Alternative strategies for the study and treatment of clinical bacterial biofilms. Emerg Top Life Sci 21 April 2017; 1 (1): 41–53. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20160020
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