Bacterial biofilm as a cause of urinary tract infection – pathogens, methods of prevention and eradication

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the common chronic and recurrent bacterial infections. Uropathogens which are able to form biofilm constitute a major etiological factor in UTI, especially among elder patients who are subject to long-term catheterization. It is caused by the capacity of the microorganisms for efficient and permanent colonization of tissues and also adhesion to diverse polymers used for urological catheter production such as propylene, polystyrene, silicone, polyvinyl chloride or silicone coated latex. Antibiotic therapy is the most common treatment for UTI. Fluoroquinolones, nitrofurans, beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim and sulfonamides are used predominantly. However, the biofilm due to its complex structure constitutes an effective barrier to the antibiotics used in the treatment of urinary tract infections. In addition, the growing number of multidrug resistant strains limits the usage of many of the currently available chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, it seems important to search for new methods of treatment such as coating of catheters with non-pathogenic E. coli strains, the design of vaccines against fimbrial adhesive proteins of the bacterial cells or the use of bacteriophages.

Effects of Selected Egyptian Honeys on the Cellular Ultrastructure and the Gene Expression Profile of Escherichia coli

“…coli is the causative agent of the vast majority of urinary tract infections (UTIs), including those associated with catheters [ 87 ]. The biofilms frequently developed by this organism on the inner catheter lumen have always been an obstacle to effective therapy, as they facilitate bacterial adhesion to a number of biotic and abiotic surfaces, including the polymeric material forming the catheter wall [ 88 ]. It is currently known that biofilm formation in E .…”

Effect of Human Insulin on the Formation of Catheter-Associated <i>E. coli</i> Biofilms

“…Biofilm is a substance composed of a matrix that protects bacteria from antibiotics and other environmental onslaughts. It is also the virulence factor associated with 80% of all infections, including catheter-associated UTIs and sepsis [31] [32]. The ability to form biofilms is essential for establishment of E. coli catheter-associated UTIs.…”

Synthetic Amphibian Peptides and Short Amino-Acids Derivatives against Planktonic Cells and Mature Biofilm of Providencia stuartii Clinical Strains

“…The use of analytical techniques such as molecular analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), electrophoresis in denaturant gradient (DGGE), capillary electrophoresis or DNA sequencing in real time (pyrosequencing) allows a more complete description of the composition 424 of pathogenic species in the urinary tract. The study of biofilms from internal urinary catheters showed the unusually frequent presence of P. stuartii (Ostrowska et al, 2013). These organisms are opportunistic pathogens responsible for nosocomial UTI, representing nearly 50% of all bacterial nosocomial infections and in over 30% of cases, being the cause of so-called urosepsis, leading to septic shock (Kupilas, 2010).…”

“…Antibiotic therapy is still the most common treatment for UTIs. Fluoroquinolones, nitrofurans, beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim and sulfonamides are used predominatingly (Ostrowska et al, 2013). However, biofilm, due to its complex structure, constitutes an effective barrier to the antibiotics used in the treatment of urinary tract infections.…”