How is biofilm formation a virulence factor?

Biofilm is considered as an essential factor in the pathogenesis of various opportunistic bacteria, e.g. during enterococcal infections1. Moreover, many virulence determinants in Enterococcus spp. An important step in induction of infection and/or biofilm production is the adhesion of bacterial cells to host tissues.

What are the 5 stages of biofilm formation?

How is it formed? Biofilm formation can be divided into five stages: Initial reversible attachment (1), irreversible attachment (2-3), maturation (4) and dispersion (5) as shown in Figure 2.

What are the four stages of biofilm formation?

Biofilm formation is commonly considered to occur in four main stages: (1) bacterial attachment to a surface, (2) microcolony formation, (3) biofilm maturation and (4) detachment (also termed dispersal) of bacteria which may then colonize new areas [2].

Are biofilms dynamic?

Previous studies have shown that the development of biofilms is a dynamic process that involves bacterial adhesion and clustering, and further structural organization into large communities (e.g., microcolonies)1,2,3,4,5.

Is biofilm a virulence factor?

Planktonic virulence factors underlie acute infection. Biofilm virulence factors underlie chronic infection. Bacteria often employ opposing molecular mechanisms to establish acute and chronic infections, thus requiring different strategies for treatment of acute and chronic (biofilm) infections.

What is biofilm formation?

Biofilm formation is a process whereby microorganisms irreversibly attach to and grow on a surface and produce extracellular polymers that facilitate attachment and matrix formation, resulting in an alteration in the phenotype of the organisms with respect to growth rate and gene transcription.

What is the process of biofilm formation?

What are examples of biofilms?

Microorganisms that form biofilms include bacteria, fungi and protists. One common example of a biofilm dental plaque, a slimy buildup of bacteria that forms on the surfaces of teeth. Pond scum is another example. Biofilms have been found growing on minerals and metals.

What happens after biofilm formation?

Cells detach from the biofilm as a result of either cell growth and division or the removal of biofilm aggregates that contain masses of cells. It is possible for these detached cells to cause a systemic infection, depending on a number of factors, including the response of the host immune system.

What are the characteristics of biofilms?

What are key characteristics of biofilms?

• Biofilms are complex, dynamic structures.
• Genetic expression is different in biofilm bacteria when compared to planktonic bacteria.
• Biofilm cells can coordinate behavior via intercellular “communication” using biochemical signaling molecules.

Is antibiotic resistance a virulence factor?

Therefore, although antibiotic resistance is not in itself a virulence factor, in certain situations it is a key factor in development of infection, and it may be considered a virulence-like factor in specific ecological niches which antibiotic-resistant bacteria are able to colonize.

What are examples of virulence factors?

Factors that are produced by a microorganism and evoke disease are called virulence factors. Examples are toxins, surface coats that inhibit phagocytosis, and surface receptors that bind to host cells.

How does a biofilm contribute to bacterial virulence?

Biofilms contribute to bacterial survival and virulence. Most biofilm investigators believe that bacterial properties change when they settle on a surface and form biofilms, which includes the acquisition of nonspecific resistance to anti-bacterial compounds.

Why are biofilms a problem in clinical settings?

Biofilm infections are serious problems in clinical settings. Some bacteria, including Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, have the ability to form biofilms during their life cycle. Biofilms contribute to bacterial survival and virulence.

How are biofilms and bacteria related to drug resistance?

Biofilms enhance drug resistance more than one hundred times compared to bacteria in the planktonic state, as a consequence of the biofilm’s structural rigidity and/or phenotypic alterations by environmental selection, or gene reconstitution within the confines of the biofilms. The precise nature of these changes is still being unraveled.

What are the steps in the formation of biofilm?

Biofilm formation is a multi-step process starting with attachment to a surface then formation of micro-colony that leads to the formation of three dimensional structure and finally ending with maturation followed by detachment.