Towards diagnostic guidelines for biofilm-associated infections

Hall-Stoodley, Luanne, Stoodley, Paul, Kathju, Sandeep, Høiby, Niels, Moser, Claus, William Costerton, J. William, Moter, Annette and Bjarnsholt, Thomas (2012) Towards diagnostic guidelines for biofilm-associated infections. FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology. (doi:10.1111/j.1574-695X.2012.00968.x). (PMID:22469292)

Abstract

Biofilms associated with the human body, particularly in typically sterile locations, are difficult to diagnose and difficult to treat effectively due to their recalcitrance to conventional antibiotic therapy and host immune responses. The study of biofilms in medicine today requires a translational approach, with examination of clinically-relevant biofilms in the context of specific anatomic sites, host tissues, and diseases, focusing on what can be done to mitigate their pathologic consequences. This review, which grew out of a discussion session on clinical biofilms at the 5th ASM Biofilm Conference in Cancun, Mexico, is designed to give an overview of biofilm-associated infections and to propose a platform for further discussion that includes clinicians, medical microbiologists and biofilm researchers who are stakeholders in advancing the scientific pursuit of better diagnosis and treatment of biofilm-associated infections to mitigate their human and healthcare costs. It also highlights the need for better diagnostic markers, which exploit the difference between planktonic and biofilm cells.

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Contributors

Author: Paul Stoodley

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