Microbial Biofilms in Urinary Tract Infections and Prostatitis: Etiology, Pathogenicity, and Combating strategies
Cristina Delcaru,
Ionela Alexandru,
Paulina Podgoreanu,
Mirela Grosu,
Elisabeth Stavropoulos,
Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc,
Veronica Lazar
Affiliations
Cristina Delcaru
Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences Section-ICUB, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest 060101, Romania
Ionela Alexandru
Iancului Private Laboratory, Bucharest 060101, Romania
Paulina Podgoreanu
Iancului Private Laboratory, Bucharest 060101, Romania
Mirela Grosu
Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest 060101, Romania
Elisabeth Stavropoulos
Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences Section-ICUB, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest 060101, Romania
Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc
Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences Section-ICUB, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest 060101, Romania
Veronica Lazar
Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences Section-ICUB, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Bucharest 060101, Romania
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most important causes of morbidity and health care spending affecting persons of all ages. Bacterial biofilms play an important role in UTIs, responsible for persistent infections leading to recurrences and relapses. UTIs associated with microbial biofilms developed on catheters account for a high percentage of all nosocomial infections and are the most common source of Gram-negative bacteremia in hospitalized patients. The purpose of this mini-review is to present the role of microbial biofilms in the etiology of female UTI and different male prostatitis syndromes, their consequences, as well as the challenges for therapy
