Microbial Primer: In vivo biofilm: This article is part of the Microbial Primers collection.

Kendra P. Rumbaugh; Thomas Bjarnsholt

doi:10.1099/mic.0.001407

Volume 169, Issue 12

Review Article

Open Access

Microbial Primer: In vivo biofilm

This article is part of the Microbial Primers collection.

Kendra P. Rumbaugh^1,2,3 and Thomas Bjarnsholt^4,5
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Affiliations: ¹ Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA ² Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA ³ Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Burn Center of Research Excellence, Lubbock, Texas, USA ⁴ Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ⁵ Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
*Correspondence: Kendra P. Rumbaugh, [email protected]
Published: 05 December 2023 https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.001407

Abstract

In this primer on biofilms and their role in infections, we trace the historical roots of microbial understanding from Van Leeuwenhoek’s observations to Bill Costerton’s groundbreaking work, which solidified biofilms' significance in infections. In vivo biofilm research, investigating patient samples and utilizing diverse host models, has yielded invaluable insights into these complex microbial communities. However, it comes with several challenges, particularly regarding replicating biofilm infections accurately in the laboratory. In vivo biofilm analyses involve various techniques, revealing biofilm architecture, composition, and behaviour, while gaps in knowledge persist regarding infection initiation and source, diversity, and the Infectious Microenvironment (IME). Ultimately, the study of biofilms in infections remains a dynamic and evolving field poised to transform our approach to combat biofilm-associated diseases.

Received: 20/09/2023
Accepted: 11/10/2023
Published Online: 05/12/2023

Keyword(s): animal model , biofilm and in vivo

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The Microbiology Society waived the open access fees for this article.

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Microbial Primer: In vivo biofilm

Microbiology 169, 001407 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.001407

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Volume 169, Issue 12

Review Article

Open Access

Microbial Primer: In vivo biofilm

This article is part of the Microbial Primers collection.

Abstract

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