Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Biofilms in Disease

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Antibiofilm Agents

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Biofilms ((BIOFILMS,volume 8))

  • 1854 Accesses

Abstract

Biofilms contribute to a majority of infectious diseases caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens. These range from chronic infections of indwelling medical devices and wounds to frequently fatal, serious infections like endocarditis. Biofilm research was initially focused on “environmental” biofilms, such as those present in wastewater tubing. More recently, “medical” biofilms as present during human infection have gained increased attention, and several animal models to mimic biofilm-associated infection in vivo have been established. Furthermore, biofilm research has shifted from the use of laboratory to clinical strains and is being complemented by the genetic analysis of isolates originating from biofilm infection. Often these investigations showed that in vitro results only have limited relevance for the in vivo situation, revealing the necessity of more intensive in vivo biofilm research. This introductory chapter will present an overview of biofilm infections, resistance, and the general model of biofilm development. It will also introduce important biofilm molecules and principles of regulation in premier biofilm-forming pathogens and finish with a general outline of possible routes of anti-biofilm drug development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bakaletz LO (2007) Bacterial biofilms in otitis media: evidence and relevance. Pediatr Infect Dis J 26(10 Suppl):S17–S19

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Banas JA, Vickerman MM (2003) Glucan-binding proteins of the oral streptococci. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med 14(2):89–99

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beloin C, Roux A, Ghigo JM (2008) Escherichia coli biofilms. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 322:249–289

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boles BR, Thoendel M, Singh PK (2005) Rhamnolipids mediate detachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from biofilms. Mol Microbiol 57(5):1210–1223

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cerqueira GM, Peleg AY (2011) Insights into Acinetobacter baumannii pathogenicity. IUBMB Life 63(12):1055–1060

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Choi AH, Slamti L, Avci FY, Pier GB, Maira-Litran T (2009) The pgaABCD locus of Acinetobacter baumannii encodes the production of poly-beta-1-6-N-acetylglucosamine, which is critical for biofilm formation. J Bacteriol 191(19):5953–5963

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen TS, Prince A (2012) Cystic fibrosis: a mucosal immunodeficiency syndrome. Nat Med 18(4):509–519

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conrady DG, Brescia CC, Horii K, Weiss AA, Hassett DJ, Herr AB (2008) A zinc-dependent adhesion module is responsible for intercellular adhesion in staphylococcal biofilms. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105(49):19456–19461

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conway BA, Chu KK, Bylund J, Altman E, Speert DP (2004) Production of exopolysaccharide by Burkholderia cenocepacia results in altered cell-surface interactions and altered bacterial clearance in mice. J Infect Dis 190(5):957–966

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper MA, Shlaes D (2011) Fix the antibiotics pipeline. Nature 472(7341):32

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costerton JW, Geesey GG, Cheng KJ (1978) How bacteria stick. Sci Am 238(1):86–95

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cuellar-Cruz M, Lopez-Romero E, Villagomez-Castro JC, Ruiz-Baca E (2012) Candida species: new insights into biofilm formation. Future Microbiol 7(6):755–771

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davies D (2003) Understanding biofilm resistance to antibacterial agents. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2(2):114–122

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davies DG, Parsek MR, Pearson JP, Iglewski BH, Costerton JW, Greenberg EP (1998) The involvement of cell-to-cell signals in the development of a bacterial biofilm. Science 280(5361):295–298

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Breij A, Gaddy J, van der Meer J, Koning R, Koster A, van den Broek P, Actis L, Nibbering P, Dijkshoorn L (2009) CsuA/BABCDE-dependent pili are not involved in the adherence of Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC19606(T) to human airway epithelial cells and their inflammatory response. Res Microbiol 160(3):213–218

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elder MJ, Stapleton F, Evans E, Dart JK (1995) Biofilm-related infections in ophthalmology. Eye (Lond) 9(Pt 1):102–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibiansky ML, Conrad JC, Jin F, Gordon VD, Motto DA, Mathewson MA, Stopka WG, Zelasko DC, Shrout JD, Wong GC (2010) Bacteria use type IV pili to walk upright and detach from surfaces. Science 330(6001):197

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guenther F, Stroh P, Wagner C, Obst U, Hansch GM (2009) Phagocytosis of staphylococci biofilms by polymorphonuclear neutrophils: S. aureus and S. epidermidis differ with regard to their susceptibility towards the host defense. Int J Artif Organs 32(9):565–573

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gunther F, Wabnitz GH, Stroh P, Prior B, Obst U, Samstag Y, Wagner C, Hansch GM (2009) Host defence against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms infection: phagocytosis of biofilms by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). Mol Immunol 46(8–9):1805–1813

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann N (2007) Animal models of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in cystic fibrosis. Drug Discov Today 4(3):99–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann N, Rasmussen TB, Jensen PO, Stub C, Hentzer M, Molin S, Ciofu O, Givskov M, Johansen HK, Hoiby N (2005) Novel mouse model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection mimicking cystic fibrosis. Infect Immun 73(4):2504–2514

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hojo K, Nagaoka S, Ohshima T, Maeda N (2009) Bacterial interactions in dental biofilm development. J Dent Res 88(11):982–990

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Irie Y, Parsek MR (2008) Quorum sensing and microbial biofilms. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 322:67–84

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jimenez PN, Koch G, Thompson JA, Xavier KB, Cool RH, Quax WJ (2012) The multiple signaling systems regulating virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 76(1):46–65

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joo HS, Otto M (2012) Molecular basis of in vivo biofilm formation by bacterial pathogens. Chem Biol 19(12):1503–1513

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li YH, Lau PC, Lee JH, Ellen RP, Cvitkovitch DG (2001) Natural genetic transformation of Streptococcus mutans growing in biofilms. J Bacteriol 183(3):897–908

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Loehfelm TW, Luke NR, Campagnari AA (2008) Identification and characterization of an Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm-associated protein. J Bacteriol 190(3):1036–1044

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mack D, Fischer W, Krokotsch A, Leopold K, Hartmann R, Egge H, Laufs R (1996) The intercellular adhesin involved in biofilm accumulation of Staphylococcus epidermidis is a linear beta-1,6-linked glucosaminoglycan: purification and structural analysis. J Bacteriol 178(1):175–183

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marcus RJ, Post JC, Stoodley P, Hall-Stoodley L, McGill RL, Sureshkumar KK, Gahlot V (2008) Biofilms in nephrology. Expert Opin Biol Ther 8(8):1159–1166

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • May TB, Shinabarger D, Maharaj R, Kato J, Chu L, DeVault JD, Roychoudhury S, Zielinski NA, Berry A, Rothmel RK et al (1991) Alginate synthesis by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a key pathogenic factor in chronic pulmonary infections of cystic fibrosis patients. Clin Microbiol Rev 4(2):191–206

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy TF, Bakaletz LO, Smeesters PR (2009) Microbial interactions in the respiratory tract. Pediatr Infect Dis J 28(10 Suppl):S121–S126

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Toole G, Kaplan HB, Kolter R (2000) Biofilm formation as microbial development. Annu Rev Microbiol 54:49–79

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otto M (2008) Staphylococcal biofilms. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 322:207–228

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otto M (2009) Staphylococcus epidermidis – the ‘accidental’ pathogen. Nat Rev Microbiol 7:555–567

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otto M (2013) Staphylococcal infections: mechanisms of biofilm maturation and detachment as critical determinants of pathogenicity. Annu Rev Med 64:175–188

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otto K, Silhavy TJ (2002) Surface sensing and adhesion of Escherichia coli controlled by the Cpx-signaling pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99(4):2287–2292

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Percival SL, Hill KE, Williams DW, Hooper SJ, Thomas DW, Costerton JW (2012) A review of the scientific evidence for biofilms in wounds. Wound Repair Regen 20(5):647–657

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Periasamy S, Joo HS, Duong AC, Bach TH, Tan VY, Chatterjee SS, Cheung GY, Otto M (2012) How Staphylococcus aureus biofilms develop their characteristic structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109(4):1281–1286

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pihlstrom BL, Michalowicz BS, Johnson NW (2005) Periodontal diseases. Lancet 366(9499):1809–1820

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Purevdorj-Gage B, Costerton WJ, Stoodley P (2005) Phenotypic differentiation and seeding dispersal in non-mucoid and mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Microbiology 151(Pt 5):1569–1576

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Que YA, Moreillon P (2011) Infective endocarditis. Nat Rev Cardiol 8(6):322–336

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rajan S, Saiman L (2002) Pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. Semin Respir Infect 17(1):47–56

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Riordan JR, Rommens JM, Kerem B, Alon N, Rozmahel R, Grzelczak Z, Zielenski J, Lok S, Plavsic N, Chou JL et al (1989) Identification of the cystic fibrosis gene: cloning and characterization of complementary DNA. Science 245(4922):1066–1073

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rohde H, Burandt EC, Siemssen N, Frommelt L, Burdelski C, Wurster S, Scherpe S, Davies AP, Harris LG, Horstkotte MA, Knobloch JK, Ragunath C, Kaplan JB, Mack D (2007) Polysaccharide intercellular adhesin or protein factors in biofilm accumulation of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from prosthetic hip and knee joint infections. Biomaterials 28(9):1711–1720

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Romling U, Galperin MY, Gomelsky M (2013) Cyclic di-GMP: the first 25 years of a universal bacterial second messenger. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 77(1):1–52

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rupp ME, Ulphani JS, Fey PD, Bartscht K, Mack D (1999) Characterization of the importance of polysaccharide intercellular adhesin/hemagglutinin of Staphylococcus epidermidis in the pathogenesis of biomaterial-based infection in a mouse foreign body infection model. Infect Immun 67(5):2627–2632

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ryder C, Byrd M, Wozniak DJ (2007) Role of polysaccharides in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm development. Curr Opin Microbiol 10(6):644–648

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh A, Del Poeta M (2011) Lipid signalling in pathogenic fungi. Cell Microbiol 13(2):177–185

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh PK, Schaefer AL, Parsek MR, Moninger TO, Welsh MJ, Greenberg EP (2000) Quorum-sensing signals indicate that cystic fibrosis lungs are infected with bacterial biofilms. Nature 407(6805):762–764

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart PS, Costerton JW (2001) Antibiotic resistance of bacteria in biofilms. Lancet 358(9276):135–138

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suntharalingam P, Cvitkovitch DG (2005) Quorum sensing in streptococcal biofilm formation. Trends Microbiol 13(1):3–6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thurlow LR, Hanke ML, Fritz T, Angle A, Aldrich A, Williams SH, Engebretsen IL, Bayles KW, Horswill AR, Kielian T (2011) Staphylococcus aureus biofilms prevent macrophage phagocytosis and attenuate inflammation in vivo. J Immunol 186(11):6585–6596

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tomaras AP, Flagler MJ, Dorsey CW, Gaddy JA, Actis LA (2008) Characterization of a two-component regulatory system from Acinetobacter baumannii that controls biofilm formation and cellular morphology. Microbiology 154(Pt 11):3398–3409

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vuong C, Voyich JM, Fischer ER, Braughton KR, Whitney AR, DeLeo FR, Otto M (2004a) Polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) protects Staphylococcus epidermidis against major components of the human innate immune system. Cell Microbiol 6(3):269–275

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vuong C, Kocianova S, Voyich JM, Yao Y, Fischer ER, DeLeo FR, Otto M (2004b) A crucial role for exopolysaccharide modification in bacterial biofilm formation, immune evasion, and virulence. J Biol Chem 279(52):54881–54886

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Preston JF 3rd, Romeo T (2004) The pgaABCD locus of Escherichia coli promotes the synthesis of a polysaccharide adhesin required for biofilm formation. J Bacteriol 186(9):2724–2734

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang R, Braughton KR, Kretschmer D, Bach TH, Queck SY, Li M, Kennedy AD, Dorward DW, Klebanoff SJ, Peschel A, DeLeo FR, Otto M (2007) Identification of novel cytolytic peptides as key virulence determinants for community-associated MRSA. Nat Med 13(12):1510–1514

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitchurch CB, Tolker-Nielsen T, Ragas PC, Mattick JS (2002) Extracellular DNA required for bacterial biofilm formation. Science 295(5559):1487

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wyle FA, Artenstein MS, Brandt BL, Tramont EC, Kasper DL, Altieri PL, Berman SL, Lowenthal JP (1972) Immunologic response of man to group B meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines. J Infect Dis 126(5):514–521

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xu L, Li H, Vuong C, Vadyvaloo V, Wang J, Yao Y, Otto M, Gao Q (2006) Role of the luxS quorum-sensing system in biofilm formation and virulence of Staphylococcus epidermidis. Infect Immun 74(1):488–496

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Michael Otto

Authors
  1. Michael Otto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Otto .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA

    Kendra P. Rumbaugh

  2. Department of Ag. Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

    Iqbal Ahmad

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Otto, M. (2014). Biofilms in Disease. In: Rumbaugh, K., Ahmad, I. (eds) Antibiofilm Agents. Springer Series on Biofilms, vol 8. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-53833-9_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation