The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Role of biofilms in neurosurgical device-related infections

Role of biofilms in neurosurgical device-related infections
Role of biofilms in neurosurgical device-related infections
Bacterial biofilms have recently been shown to be important in neurosurgical device-related infections. Because the concept of biofilms is novel to most practitioners, it is important to understand that both traditional pharmaceutical therapies and host defense mechanisms that are aimed at treating or overcoming free-swimming bacteria are largely ineffective against the sessile bacteria in a biofilm. Bacterial biofilms are complex surface-attached structures that are composed of an extruded extracellular matrix in which the individual bacteria are embedded. Superimposed on this physical architecture is a complex system of intercellular signaling, termed quorum sensing. These complex organizational features endow biofilms with numerous microenvironments and a concomitant number of distinct bacterial phenotypes. Each of the bacterial phenotypes within the biofilm displays a unique gene expression pattern tied to nutrient availability and waste transport. Such diversity provides the biofilm as a whole with an enormous survival advantage when compared to the individual component bacterial cells. Thus, it is appropriate to view the biofilm as a multicellular organism, akin to metazoan eukaryotic life. Bacterial biofilms are much hardier than free floating or planktonic bacteria and are primarily responsible for device-related infections. Now that basic research has demonstrated that the vast majority of bacteria exist in biofilms, the paradigm of biofilm-associated chronic infections is spreading to the clinical world. Understanding how these biofilm infections affect patients with neurosurgical devices is a prerequisite to developing strategies for their treatment and prevention.
249-255
Braxton, Ernest E.
a54cd68c-463d-4f04-a497-4620f9a4802c
Ehrlich, Garth D.
aa8e5162-77a6-4627-a793-acd724ed0782
Hall-Stoodley, Luanne
94ebdc00-b549-4488-b15f-5310fb965f5b
Stoodley, Paul
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f
Veeh, Rick
c0c39e41-32d2-4e47-b738-cd5240726371
Fux, Christoph
d4390909-4f34-4bf4-98bc-32a9914d0d46
Hu, Fen Z.
0073d77a-082f-4652-b467-0ba1c709fc94
Quigley, Matthew
1ea35d45-8dc3-476b-8d42-d458412bba4b
Post, J. Christopher
832cfa58-9254-4396-8c8f-6fb18cc6c18c
Braxton, Ernest E.
a54cd68c-463d-4f04-a497-4620f9a4802c
Ehrlich, Garth D.
aa8e5162-77a6-4627-a793-acd724ed0782
Hall-Stoodley, Luanne
94ebdc00-b549-4488-b15f-5310fb965f5b
Stoodley, Paul
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f
Veeh, Rick
c0c39e41-32d2-4e47-b738-cd5240726371
Fux, Christoph
d4390909-4f34-4bf4-98bc-32a9914d0d46
Hu, Fen Z.
0073d77a-082f-4652-b467-0ba1c709fc94
Quigley, Matthew
1ea35d45-8dc3-476b-8d42-d458412bba4b
Post, J. Christopher
832cfa58-9254-4396-8c8f-6fb18cc6c18c

Braxton, Ernest E., Ehrlich, Garth D., Hall-Stoodley, Luanne, Stoodley, Paul, Veeh, Rick, Fux, Christoph, Hu, Fen Z., Quigley, Matthew and Post, J. Christopher (2005) Role of biofilms in neurosurgical device-related infections. Neurosurgical Review, 28 (4), 249-255. (doi:10.1007/s10143-005-0403-8).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms have recently been shown to be important in neurosurgical device-related infections. Because the concept of biofilms is novel to most practitioners, it is important to understand that both traditional pharmaceutical therapies and host defense mechanisms that are aimed at treating or overcoming free-swimming bacteria are largely ineffective against the sessile bacteria in a biofilm. Bacterial biofilms are complex surface-attached structures that are composed of an extruded extracellular matrix in which the individual bacteria are embedded. Superimposed on this physical architecture is a complex system of intercellular signaling, termed quorum sensing. These complex organizational features endow biofilms with numerous microenvironments and a concomitant number of distinct bacterial phenotypes. Each of the bacterial phenotypes within the biofilm displays a unique gene expression pattern tied to nutrient availability and waste transport. Such diversity provides the biofilm as a whole with an enormous survival advantage when compared to the individual component bacterial cells. Thus, it is appropriate to view the biofilm as a multicellular organism, akin to metazoan eukaryotic life. Bacterial biofilms are much hardier than free floating or planktonic bacteria and are primarily responsible for device-related infections. Now that basic research has demonstrated that the vast majority of bacteria exist in biofilms, the paradigm of biofilm-associated chronic infections is spreading to the clinical world. Understanding how these biofilm infections affect patients with neurosurgical devices is a prerequisite to developing strategies for their treatment and prevention.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: October 2005
Organisations: Engineering Mats & Surface Engineerg Gp

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 155967
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/155967
PURE UUID: 1045f68a-2e38-4331-a258-9d165e10d5bc
ORCID for Paul Stoodley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6069-273X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 08 Jun 2010 12:13
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:55

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Ernest E. Braxton
Author: Garth D. Ehrlich
Author: Luanne Hall-Stoodley
Author: Paul Stoodley ORCID iD
Author: Rick Veeh
Author: Christoph Fux
Author: Fen Z. Hu
Author: Matthew Quigley
Author: J. Christopher Post

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×