Biofilm Formation in Medical Device-Related Infection

Abstract

Medical device-associated infections, most frequently caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci, especially Staphylococcus epidermidis, are of increasing importance in modern medicine. Regularly, antimicrobial therapy fails without removal of the implanted device. The most important factor in the pathogenesis of medical device-associated staphylococcal infections is the formation of adherent, multilayered bacterial biofilms. There is urgent need for an increased understanding of the functional factors involved in biofilm formation, the regulation of their expression, and the interaction of those potential virulence factors in device related infection with the host. Significant progress has been made in recent years which may ultimately lead to new rational approaches for better preventive, therapeutic, and diagnostic measures.

Medicine at nanoscale: a new horizon

“…However, regrettably, these surfaces are prone to microbial infections and hence device-related infections have become a major source of infection which may ultimately lead to a high mortality rate in the hospital setting. 2 Another major problem is the worldwide spread of multidrug resistance, especially of the newly discovered NDM-1 superbug. The latest metallo beta-lactamase, named NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo beta-lactamase) has been identified as a novel class of carbapenemases in enterobacteriaceae.…”

Direct Demonstration of Viable Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms in an Infected Total Joint Arthroplasty

“…Moreover, biofilm infections are difficult to detect by simple Gram stain and culture techniques but can persist as a nidus of infection from which recurrent acute exacerbations may arise through episodic planktonic ''showering'' 8 . Interestingly, although many articles discuss biofilms as being an important factor in infections affecting orthopaedic implants 9,10 , the evidence remains largely anecdotal, deriving from paradoxical clinical signs and symptoms, from the detection of bacterial aggregates in sonicate from ex vivo implants 11,12 , or from in vitro experiments with use of medical materials 13 . Only a few studies have provided direct evidence of attached biofilms associated with ex vivo implants, and those studies have all dealt with hip prostheses 3,14,15 .…”

Vancomycin-Modified Implant Surface Inhibits Biofilm Formation and Supports Bone-Healing in an Infected Osteotomy Model in Sheep

“…adhesion of serum proteins to the metal surface create an ideal environment for bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation [6][7][8][9] . Bacteria become enclosed in a complex biofilm matrix that protects them from both the host immune response and systemic antimicrobial agents 10 .…”