Question

What is a biofilm and what role does biofilm play in nature or in disease?

Answer 1

A biofilm is thin although a robust layer of mucilage, adhered to a solid surface. It contains a community of bacteria and other microorganisms like yeasts, fungi and protozoa.

Biofilms are responsible for a large number of disease in humans as these structures are intrinsically resistant to antibiotics and also to host defence systems. The diseases are therefore very diificult to cure. The bacteria growing in slime enclosed aggregate have also important role in chronic infections. Biofilm infections such as pneumonia in cystic associated infections, chronic wounds etc. affect millions of people. In biofilm bacterial infection is untreatable and develop into a chronic state.