Microbial Biofilm: A Review on Formation, Infection, Antibiotic Resistance, Control Measures, and Innovative Treatment

Abstract

Biofilm is complex and consists of bacterial colonies that reside in an exopolysaccharide matrix that attaches to foreign surfaces in a living organism. Biofilm frequently leads to nosocomial, chronic infections in clinical settings. Since the bacteria in the biofilm have developed antibiotic resistance, using antibiotics alone to treat infections brought on by biofilm is ineffective. This review provides a succinct summary of the theories behind the composition of, formation of, and drug-resistant infections attributed to biofilm and cutting-edge curative approaches to counteract and treat biofilm. The high frequency of medical device-induced infections due to biofilm warrants the application of innovative technologies to manage the complexities presented by biofilm.

Keywords

• biofilm
• extracellular polysaccharides
• healthcare-associated infection
• medical device infections
• antibiotic resistance
• biofilm control