A dime-sized community of bacteria known as a biofilm. This is what happens when any group of microorganisms choose to stick to one another and adhere to different surfaces such as our ears, heart, lungs, and so on.
This photograph in particular is a biofilm composed of millions of cells of the pathogen Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, which is believed to contribute to the chronic pneumonia seen in cystic fibrosis patients. In general, bacteria have two life forms during growth and proliferation. In one form, the bacteria exist as single, independent cells known as planktonic, whereas in the other form, bacteria are organized into sessile aggregates. The latter form is commonly referred to as the biofilm growth phenotype. Acute infections are assumed to involve planktonic bacteria, which are generally treatable with antibiotics, although successful treatment depends on accurate and fast diagnosis. However, in cases where the bacteria succeed in forming a biofilm within the human host, the infection often turns out to be untreatable and will develop into a chronic state. These type of slime-enclosed biofilms also have the ability to produce other types of infections, such as chronic wounds, chronic otitis media and implant- and catheter-infections. These infections affect millions of people in the developed world each year and many deaths occur as a consequence. The more we learn about these biofilms, the more scientists hope to dispel the deep-rooted fears of bacteria.
Written by Student Doctor: Navpreet Singh Badesha
©12/13/2017 All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit: Harvard Medical School
Inspired by: Caribbean Medical University
This research was published in the National Library of Medicine.
