Medical and Healthcare Applications

Biofilms are implicated in a wide range of health concerns where infections were formerly viewed as being caused by suspended microorganisms.  Compared to natural living tissue, nonliving surfaces implanted in the body – such as catheters, contact lenses, artificial joints and other medical devices – are more prone to biofilm growth.  Because of the rapidly developing implant market, the concern for controlling biofilm on these surfaces has greatly increased.  Biofilms can also grow on living tissue, causing such human diseases as endocarditis, lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis, and middle ear infections.  Biofilms also form plaque that not only causes cavities, but also gum and periodontal disease.

Typically, strategies for controlling infections have relied on models where the bacteria are freely suspended and are much easier to "kill."  Biofilms can require 100 to 1,000 times the concentration of an antibiotic to control an infection, but in most cases, biofilms have not been used in studies to develop the antibiotic.  To control biofilms that are implicated in human diseases, new models and knowledge of how biofilm is manifested in these diseases are needed.  Medically related areas of research at the CBE include:

• Dental biofilms
• Catheter infection
• Wound biofilms

To find out more about CBE research in medically relevant biofilms, or to learn how you can attend a workshop or industrial meeting, please contact Garth James.

CBE Industrial Associate members in the medical / health fields

The biofilm at left was found on a tooth extracted because of extensive decay. The tooth was stained with TRITC (Tetramethyl Rhodamine Isothiocyanate). The image was collected with the CSLM Leica TCS-NT using a dry 20X lens. Total magnification is 200X.

Image by Wendy Cochran