Treatment of Biofilm Communities: An Update on New Tools from the Nanosized World

• DOI: 10.3390/app8060845
• Publication Date: 2018-05-23T07:14:24Z
• Authors: Federico Bertoglio; Nora Bloise; Martina Oriano; Paola Petrini; Simone Sprio; Marcello Imbriani; Anna Tampieri; Livia Visai
• Keywords: Multicellular organism; Extracellular polymeric substance; Extracellular polysaccharide

Traditionally regarded as single cell organisms, bacteria naturally and preferentially build multicellular communities that enable them to react efficiently external stimuli in a coordinated fashion with extremely effective outcomes. These are bacterial biofilms, where cells or microcolonies embedded self-built Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS), composed of different macromolecules, e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, extracellular DNA (eDNA). Despite being the most common form nature having many biotechnologically useful applications, biofilm is often life-threatening infection. Since this life intrinsically more resistant antibiotic treatment antimicrobial resistance reaching alarming levels, we will focus our attention on how nanotechnology made new tools available medical community for prevention these infections. After brief excursus formation its main characteristics, types nanomaterials developed prevent counteract forms infection be described. A comparison classifications adopted nanodrugs final discussion challenges future perspectives also presented.