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Abstract
Attachment of bacterial cells to host tissue is usually a prerequisite to colonisation and pathogenesis. Surface-associated bacteria often form tightly-packed, exopolysaccharide-encased colonies known as biofilms. Biofilms play a role in the pathogenesis of dental caries, periodontitis, infective endocarditis, cystic fibrosis pneumonia, prostatitis, osteomyelitis, otitis media, infectious kidney stones and other chronic infections. In addition, biofilms that form on indwelling catheters are responsible for a majority of hospital-acquired bloodstream, eye, ear, nose, throat and urinary tract infections; and biofilms that form on permanently implanted medical devices, such as artificial heart valves and prosthetic joints, are a major cause of device failure. Biofilms are notorious for their resistance to conventional antimicrobial agents. The role played by biofilms in human disease, combined with the importance of biofilms in industry, agriculture and biotechnology, has led to an exponential growth in the number of publications related to biofilms in recent years, and a concomitant growth in the number of biofilm-related patents. This review describes the current status of research on pathogenic biofilms with an emphasis on discoveries that have been the subjects of recent therapeutic patents.
