Bacteria and fungi are able to aggregate together or on surfaces in densely packed microcolonies, facilitated by extracellular polymeric substances for cell protection and stability. These biofilms have proven to be extremely hard to eradicate and remove once established. In chronic infections, this condition can result in a high degree of morbidity and mortality as regular antibiotic treatments are ineffective against biofilms. In industrial facilities, the formation of biofilms can ruin production and result in enormous financial losses.In this book, the current state of antibiofilm research is presented by experts from around the world. Novel, cutting-edge techniques and new optimized strategies based on established methods are discussed in chapters focused on biofilm prevention, treatment and control for the application in clinical, industrial and veterinary settings.Antibiofilm strategies, such as chemical and enzymatic treatments, surface modification and coatings, quorum sensing inhibition and dispersal induction, phage therapy, cold plasma treatment, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and metal-based nanomedicine are covered, among many others.This book contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, microbiologists, academics and for educators to inform curricula of universities and colleges.

Bacteria and fungi are able to aggregate together or on surfaces in densely packed microcolonies, facilitated by extracellular polymeric substances for cell protection and stability. These biofilms have proven to be extremely hard to eradicate and remove once established. In chronic infections, this condition can result in a high degree of morbidity and mortality as regular antibiotic treatments are ineffective against biofilms. In industrial facilities, the formation of biofilms can ruin production and result in enormous financial losses.In this book, the current state of antibiofilm research is presented by experts from around the world. Novel, cutting-edge techniques and new optimized strategies based on established methods are discussed in chapters focused on biofilm prevention, treatment and control for the application in clinical, industrial and veterinary settings.Antibiofilm strategies, such as chemical and enzymatic treatments, surface modification and coatings, quorum sensing inhibition and dispersal induction, phage therapy, cold plasma treatment, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and metal-based nanomedicine are covered, among many others.This book contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, microbiologists, academics and for educators to inform curricula of universities and colleges.

In an age of antibiotic resistant infections, the study of biofilms is increasingly important. Microbes more than often exist in complex multi-species or polymicrobial communities, making infections difficult to detect, diagnose and treat. Given the increased focus on studying biofilms in research and laboratory settings, particularly under conditions that closely mimic the clinical state, it is important to get an overview of the recent methods, model systems and tools being developed and employed in this context.This book offers readers the opportunity to learn more about current methods being used in the investigation of multi-species biofilms, both in vivo and in vitro. For this, the book highlights new technologies built and designed for the study of multiple species within biofilm communities, including those that can be leveraged for the evaluation of antimicrobial treatment approaches. The application of these state-of-the-art techniques to further ourunderstanding of multi-species biofilms will be discussed and the reader will learn how the clinical microenvironment and the development of biofilm communities are considered when developing such tools.With cutting-edge contributions from experts in the respective domains, this book will benefit translational and basic research scientists, as well as clinicians, and is an informative resource for educators and their students.

In an age of antibiotic resistant infections, the study of biofilms is increasingly important. Microbes more than often exist in complex multi-species or polymicrobial communities, making infections difficult to detect, diagnose and treat. Given the increased focus on studying biofilms in research and laboratory settings, particularly under conditions that closely mimic the clinical state, it is important to get an overview of the recent methods, model systems and tools being developed and employed in this context.This book offers readers the opportunity to learn more about current methods being used in the investigation of multi-species biofilms, both in vivo and in vitro. For this, the book highlights new technologies built and designed for the study of multiple species within biofilm communities, including those that can be leveraged for the evaluation of antimicrobial treatment approaches. The application of these state-of-the-art techniques to further ourunderstanding of multi-species biofilms will be discussed and the reader will learn how the clinical microenvironment and the development of biofilm communities are considered when developing such tools.With cutting-edge contributions from experts in the respective domains, this book will benefit translational and basic research scientists, as well as clinicians, and is an informative resource for educators and their students.

This book provides a comprehensive review of biofilm matrices. The main topics include an introduction to biofilm matrices and the range of biofilm matrix components (i.e., biofilm matrixome) as well as an overview of what is known about matrix structure, functionality, and regulation. Additional topics include recent progress in investigating the biofilm matrixome as well as challenges and outstanding questions and descriptions of the influence of matrix interactions on biofilm architecture and pathogen-host interactions.  This book covers an important aspect of biofilm biology-microbial biofilm matrices.Microbes form multicellular aggregates called biofilms, in which microbial cells are encased in an extracellular matrix. This enables microbes to withstand harsh environmental conditions including antibiotic treatment. Biofilms are ubiquitous in the environment and can be both beneficial and harmful. For example, they can be used to clean up wastewater, but they also cause serious and chronic infections. It is estimated that over 80% of infections in the United States are biofilm-associated. Some examples of biofilm-involved infections include infections of implanted medical devices or artificial joints and also chronic infections of burns and wounds, including diabetic ulcers. When biofilms show up during infections or human health problems, they act very differently than planktonic bacteria. For example, biofilms can be ~1000-fold more tolerant of antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts. The biofilm matrix is thought to be a key part of why these bacterial infections are so difficult to treat. Biofilm matrix composition varies between bacterial strains and under different growth conditions. In general, the biofilm matrix is rich in biopolymers and can contain exopolysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA (or eDNA), and lipids. The biofilm matrix promotes attachment and structurally reinforces bacterial aggregates, preventing clearance by mechanical forces. The matrix can even block antibiotics from accessing the bacteria or prevent the host immune system from seeing the bacteria.The target audience of this book is both established biofilm researchers and those who are newly learning about biofilms and biofilm matrices.

This book provides a comprehensive review of biofilm matrices. The main topics include an introduction to biofilm matrices and the range of biofilm matrix components (i.e., biofilm matrixome) as well as an overview of what is known about matrix structure, functionality, and regulation. Additional topics include recent progress in investigating the biofilm matrixome as well as challenges and outstanding questions and descriptions of the influence of matrix interactions on biofilm architecture and pathogen-host interactions.  This book covers an important aspect of biofilm biology-microbial biofilm matrices.Microbes form multicellular aggregates called biofilms, in which microbial cells are encased in an extracellular matrix. This enables microbes to withstand harsh environmental conditions including antibiotic treatment. Biofilms are ubiquitous in the environment and can be both beneficial and harmful. For example, they can be used to clean up wastewater, but they also cause serious and chronic infections. It is estimated that over 80% of infections in the United States are biofilm-associated. Some examples of biofilm-involved infections include infections of implanted medical devices or artificial joints and also chronic infections of burns and wounds, including diabetic ulcers. When biofilms show up during infections or human health problems, they act very differently than planktonic bacteria. For example, biofilms can be ~1000-fold more tolerant of antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts. The biofilm matrix is thought to be a key part of why these bacterial infections are so difficult to treat. Biofilm matrix composition varies between bacterial strains and under different growth conditions. In general, the biofilm matrix is rich in biopolymers and can contain exopolysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA (or eDNA), and lipids. The biofilm matrix promotes attachment and structurally reinforces bacterial aggregates, preventing clearance by mechanical forces. The matrix can even block antibiotics from accessing the bacteria or prevent the host immune system from seeing the bacteria.The target audience of this book is both established biofilm researchers and those who are newly learning about biofilms and biofilm matrices.

This book presents state-of-the-art information on the fundamentals of oral biofilm formation. The reader learns about adhesion and early colonization of polymicrobial communities, the biochemistry and function of the oral biofilm matrix, cooperative interactions, as well as antagonism among microbes within oral biofilms.The past decade has brought major technological advancements in molecular and microscopy technologies changing our understanding of oral biofilms in health and disease. International experts comprehensively describe key strategies and techniques for studying oral biofilms in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, including imaging, model systems and omics approaches. In addition, the book provides an up-to-date overview of oral biofilms and associated diseases. Innovative antibiofilm strategies are also addressed. These span from eradication or modulation of oral biofilms as a prevention strategy, and nonantibiotic or antibiotic-supplementing approaches such as quorum sensing inhibition, nanoparticles and pre-and probiotics.The book is a useful introduction to the field for early career scientists interested in basic and translational research on oral biofilms. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists and clinicians working in dentistry and oral health research, as it gives them a broader view of the topic beyond their area of specialization.

This book presents state-of-the-art information on the fundamentals of oral biofilm formation. The reader learns about adhesion and early colonization of polymicrobial communities, the biochemistry and function of the oral biofilm matrix, cooperative interactions, as well as antagonism among microbes within oral biofilms.The past decade has brought major technological advancements in molecular and microscopy technologies changing our understanding of oral biofilms in health and disease. International experts comprehensively describe key strategies and techniques for studying oral biofilms in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, including imaging, model systems and omics approaches. In addition, the book provides an up-to-date overview of oral biofilms and associated diseases. Innovative antibiofilm strategies are also addressed. These span from eradication or modulation of oral biofilms as a prevention strategy, and nonantibiotic or antibiotic-supplementing approaches such as quorum sensing inhibition, nanoparticles and pre-and probiotics.The book is a useful introduction to the field for early career scientists interested in basic and translational research on oral biofilms. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists and clinicians working in dentistry and oral health research, as it gives them a broader view of the topic beyond their area of specialization.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of critical information for those working in the field of fungal biofilms, and those entering the field. The WHO has published a list of critical high-priority fungal pathogens, many of which are capable of forming biofilms. The editors have brought together a team of world experts to impart their knowledge of specific elements of fungal biofilm biology and their clinical underpinning. The book covers critical areas of state-of-the-art research that are shaping the direction of travel within the biofilm research community. It focuses on the basic biology of how biofilms are formed and controlled, through applied areas of research where we can effectively manage these complex infections.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of critical information for those working in the field of fungal biofilms, and those entering the field. The WHO has published a list of critical high-priority fungal pathogens, many of which are capable of forming biofilms. The editors have brought together a team of world experts to impart their knowledge of specific elements of fungal biofilm biology and their clinical underpinning. The book covers critical areas of state-of-the-art research that are shaping the direction of travel within the biofilm research community. It focuses on the basic biology of how biofilms are formed and controlled, through applied areas of research where we can effectively manage these complex infections.

This volume distinguishes itself by focusing specifically on biofilm-associated infections within the context of the infectious microenvironment. Rather than providing a general overview, it integrates host–pathogen interactions, polymicrobial complexity, and microenvironmental heterogeneity to frame biofilms as dynamic drivers of chronic and treatment-refractory disease.Interest in the biofilm mode of microbial growth has evolved into a central paradigm in infection biology. Since the concept was introduced by J. William Costerton and later recognized by the American Society for Microbiology as a distinct mode of growth, the field has expanded substantially, with numerous books addressing biofilm structure, physiology, and antimicrobial tolerance.Authored by leading experts, the book provides a critical and up-to-date synthesis of biofilm involvement across diverse clinical settings, while highlighting emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. It is intended for researchers and clinicians seeking a mechanistic and translational perspective on biofilm infections within modern biomedical science.

This book details the widely accepted hypothesis that the majority of bacteria in virtually all ecosystems grow in matrix-enclosed biofilms. The author, who first proposed this biofilm hypothesis, uses direct evidence from microscopy and from molecular techniques, presenting cogent reasons for moving beyond conventional culture methods that dominated microbiology throughout the last century. Bacteria grow predominantly in biofilms in all natural, engineered, and pathogenic ecosystems, and this book provides a solid basis for the understanding of bacterial processes in environmental, industrial, agricultural, dental and medical microbiology. Using a unique "ecological" perspective, the author explores the commensal and pathogenic colonization of human organ systems.

Approximately 60% of all hospital-associated infections, over one million cases per year, are due to biofilms that have formed on indwelling medical devices. Device-related biofilm infections increase hospital stays and add over one billion dollars/year to U.S. hospitalization costs. Since the use and the types of indwelling medical devices commonly used in modern healthcare are continuously expanding, especially with an aging population, the incidence of biofilm infections will also continue to rise. The central problem with microbial biofilm infections of foreign bodies is their propensity to resist clearance by the host immune system and all antimicrobial agents tested to date. In fact, compared to their free floating, planktonic counterparts, microbes within a biofilm are 50 – 500 times more resistant to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, achieving therapeutic and non-lethal dosing regimens within the human host is impossible. The end result is a conversion from an acute infection to one that is persistent, chronic, and recurrent, most often requiring device removal in order to eliminate the infection. This text will describe the major types of device-related infections, and will explain the host, pathogen, and the unique properties of their interactions in order to gain a better understanding of these recalcitrant infections.

Biofouling is a costly problem, and it is encountered in a wide spectrum of technical systems, ranging from the shipping industry, power industry, water purification, automobile industry, paint and pharmaceuticals, to the microelectronics and food industries. Micro- and macroorganisms attach to surfaces and accumulate there, forming biofilms that cause interferences – a fundamentally natural process. Usually, a medical paradigm is applied: kill biofilms and the problem is solved. This leads to excessive biocide use. However, the success of this strategy is very limited; furthermore it leads to equipment damage and environmental pollution. Simply trying to kill the fouling organisms is clearly not seen as a successful strategy while cleaning is put forward as much more important. In this book, strategies to prevent adhesion, to mitigate the extent and effects of biofouling, and to detect and remove fouling layers are presented. Holistic approaches to the fouling process are elaborated, taking into account options such as nutrient limitation, repellent and easy-to-clean surfaces for fouling layer limitation, and replacing biocides with more environmentally friendly methods – in other words: learning how to live with fouling biofilms without suffering the damage they can do.

In the well-watered groves of academe, most of us are content to gather worshipful students and technicians in a shady nook to contemplate the eternal verities and to plan extravagant feasts to celebrate our contributions to “knowledge” and to the gradual improvement of the human condition. As one convocation follows another, and as our funding agencies pump billions of dollars into incremental research that ?lls every possible pigeon-hole in which a gene makes a protein, a small number of intellectual athletes seize a pivotal concept and plunge into the real world. It is this small band of nimble and impossibly brave intellectual halfbackswho win gamesin the real world, and this book is the result of the drive and intellectual athleticism of its editor and several of her contributors. Bacteria affect humans more than any other life forms with which we share the blue planet, but our understandingof these invisible companionshas developed in a staggering pattern, crippled by our panic and consequent shifts of emphasis. When our race was threatened by epidemic diseases, we visualized bacteria as swarms of potentially lethal planktoniccells from which we must remain isolated by sanitation and which we had to kill by immunization and chemical antibacterial compounds. By the time this overriding threat had been obviated, we began to examine na- ral and pathogenic ecosystems by direct methods, and we were surprised to ?nd that planktonic bacteria are comparatively rare and that most prokaryotes grow in matrix-enclosedbio?lms.

This book details the widely accepted hypothesis that the majority of bacteria in virtually all ecosystems grow in matrix-enclosed biofilms. The author, who first proposed this biofilm hypothesis, uses direct evidence from microscopy and from molecular techniques, presenting cogent reasons for moving beyond conventional culture methods that dominated microbiology throughout the last century. Bacteria grow predominantly in biofilms in all natural, engineered, and pathogenic ecosystems, and this book provides a solid basis for the understanding of bacterial processes in environmental, industrial, agricultural, dental and medical microbiology. Using a unique "ecological" perspective, the author explores the commensal and pathogenic colonization of human organ systems.

Approximately 60% of all hospital-associated infections, over one million cases per year, are due to biofilms that have formed on indwelling medical devices. Device-related biofilm infections increase hospital stays and add over one billion dollars/year to U.S. hospitalization costs. Since the use and the types of indwelling medical devices commonly used in modern healthcare are continuously expanding, especially with an aging population, the incidence of biofilm infections will also continue to rise. The central problem with microbial biofilm infections of foreign bodies is their propensity to resist clearance by the host immune system and all antimicrobial agents tested to date. In fact, compared to their free floating, planktonic counterparts, microbes within a biofilm are 50 – 500 times more resistant to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, achieving therapeutic and non-lethal dosing regimens within the human host is impossible. The end result is a conversion from an acute infection to one that is persistent, chronic, and recurrent, most often requiring device removal in order to eliminate the infection. This text will describe the major types of device-related infections, and will explain the host, pathogen, and the unique properties of their interactions in order to gain a better understanding of these recalcitrant infections.

Biofouling is a costly problem, and it is encountered in a wide spectrum of technical systems, ranging from the shipping industry, power industry, water purification, automobile industry, paint and pharmaceuticals, to the microelectronics and food industries. Micro- and macroorganisms attach to surfaces and accumulate there, forming biofilms that cause interferences – a fundamentally natural process. Usually, a medical paradigm is applied: kill biofilms and the problem is solved. This leads to excessive biocide use. However, the success of this strategy is very limited; furthermore it leads to equipment damage and environmental pollution. Simply trying to kill the fouling organisms is clearly not seen as a successful strategy while cleaning is put forward as much more important. In this book, strategies to prevent adhesion, to mitigate the extent and effects of biofouling, and to detect and remove fouling layers are presented. Holistic approaches to the fouling process are elaborated, taking into account options such as nutrient limitation, repellent and easy-to-clean surfaces for fouling layer limitation, and replacing biocides with more environmentally friendly methods – in other words: learning how to live with fouling biofilms without suffering the damage they can do.

In the well-watered groves of academe, most of us are content to gather worshipful students and technicians in a shady nook to contemplate the eternal verities and to plan extravagant feasts to celebrate our contributions to “knowledge” and to the gradual improvement of the human condition. As one convocation follows another, and as our funding agencies pump billions of dollars into incremental research that ?lls every possible pigeon-hole in which a gene makes a protein, a small number of intellectual athletes seize a pivotal concept and plunge into the real world. It is this small band of nimble and impossibly brave intellectual halfbackswho win gamesin the real world, and this book is the result of the drive and intellectual athleticism of its editor and several of her contributors. Bacteria affect humans more than any other life forms with which we share the blue planet, but our understandingof these invisible companionshas developed in a staggering pattern, crippled by our panic and consequent shifts of emphasis. When our race was threatened by epidemic diseases, we visualized bacteria as swarms of potentially lethal planktoniccells from which we must remain isolated by sanitation and which we had to kill by immunization and chemical antibacterial compounds. By the time this overriding threat had been obviated, we began to examine na- ral and pathogenic ecosystems by direct methods, and we were surprised to ?nd that planktonic bacteria are comparatively rare and that most prokaryotes grow in matrix-enclosedbio?lms.

Living in biofilms is the common way of life of microorganisms, transiently immobilized in their matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), interacting in many ways and using the matrix as an external digestion and protection system. This is how they have organized their life in the environment, in the medical context and in technical systems – and has helped make them the oldest, most successful and ubiquitous form of life. In this book, hot spots in current biofilm research are presented in critical and sometimes provocative chapters. This serves a twofold purpose: to provide an overview and to inspire further discussions. Above all, the book seeks to stimulate lateral thinking.

Biofilms are implicated in many common medical problems including urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear infections, dental plaque, gingivitis, and some less common but more lethal processes such as endocarditis and infections in cystic fibrosis.  However, the true importance of biofilms in the overall process of disease pathogenesis has only recently been recognized. Bacterial biofilms are one of the fundamental reasons for incipient wound healing failure in that they may impair natural cutaneous wound healing and reduce topical antimicrobial efficiency in infected skin wounds.  Their existence explains many of the enigmas of microbial infection and a better grasp of the process may well serve to establish a different approach to infection control and management.   Biofilms and their associated complications have been found to be involved in up to 80% of all infections.  A large number of studies targeted at the bacterial biofilms have been conducted, and many of them are referred to in this book, which is the first of its kind.   These clinical observations emphasize the importance of biofilm formation to both superficial and systemic infections, and the inability of current antimicrobial therapies to ‘cure’ the resulting diseases even when the in vitro tests suggest that they should be fully effective.In veterinary medicine the concept of biofilms and their role in the pathogenesis of disease has lagged seriously behind that in human medicine.  This is all the more extraordinary when one considers that much of the research has been carried out using veterinary species in experimental situations.   The clinical features of biofilms in human medicine is certainly mimicked in the veterinary species but there is an inherent and highly regrettable indifference to the failure of antimicrobial therapy in many veterinary disease situations, and this is probably at its most retrograde in veterinary wound management. Biofilms and Veterinary Medicine is specifically focused on discussing the concerns of biofilms to health and disease in animals and provides a definitive text for veterinary practitioners, medical and veterinary students, and researchers.

Biofilms are implicated in many common medical problems including urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear infections, dental plaque, gingivitis, and some less common but more lethal processes such as endocarditis and infections in cystic fibrosis.  However, the true importance of biofilms in the overall process of disease pathogenesis has only recently been recognized. Bacterial biofilms are one of the fundamental reasons for incipient wound healing failure in that they may impair natural cutaneous wound healing and reduce topical antimicrobial efficiency in infected skin wounds.  Their existence explains many of the enigmas of microbial infection and a better grasp of the process may well serve to establish a different approach to infection control and management.   Biofilms and their associated complications have been found to be involved in up to 80% of all infections.  A large number of studies targeted at the bacterial biofilms have been conducted, and many of them are referred to in this book, which is the first of its kind.   These clinical observations emphasize the importance of biofilm formation to both superficial and systemic infections, and the inability of current antimicrobial therapies to ‘cure’ the resulting diseases even when the in vitro tests suggest that they should be fully effective.In veterinary medicine the concept of biofilms and their role in the pathogenesis of disease has lagged seriously behind that in human medicine.  This is all the more extraordinary when one considers that much of the research has been carried out using veterinary species in experimental situations.   The clinical features of biofilms in human medicine is certainly mimicked in the veterinary species but there is an inherent and highly regrettable indifference to the failure of antimicrobial therapy in many veterinary disease situations, and this is probably at its most retrograde in veterinary wound management. Biofilms and Veterinary Medicine is specifically focused on discussing the concerns of biofilms to health and disease in animals and provides a definitive text for veterinary practitioners, medical and veterinary students, and researchers.

Living in biofilms is the common way of life of microorganisms, transiently immobilized in their matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), interacting in many ways and using the matrix as an external digestion and protection system. This is how they have organized their life in the environment, in the medical context and in technical systems – and has helped make them the oldest, most successful and ubiquitous form of life. In this book, hot spots in current biofilm research are presented in critical and sometimes provocative chapters. This serves a twofold purpose: to provide an overview and to inspire further discussions. Above all, the book seeks to stimulate lateral thinking.

During the recent transition between acute diseases caused by swarms of single planktonic bacteria, and chronic infections caused by bacteria growing in slime-enclosed biofilms, a general clinical consensus has emerged that pathologies with bacterial etiologies are frequently culture negative. Because biofilm infections now affect 17 million Americans per year (killing approximately 450,000), the suggestion that these common and lethal infections regularly go unnoticed by the only FDA-approved method for their detection and characterization is a matter of urgent concern. Biologically, we would expect that planktonic bacterial cells would colonize any new surface, including the surface of an agar plate, while the specialized sessile cells of a biofilm community would have no such proclivity. In the study of biofilm diseases ranging from otitis media to prostatitis, it was found that direct microscopy and DNA- and RNA-based molecular methods regularly document the presence of living bacteria in tissues and samples that are culture negative. The editors selected orthopedic biofilm infections as the subject of this book because these infections occur against a background of microbiological sterility in which modern molecular methods would be expected to find bacterial DNA, RNA-based microscopic methods would be expected to locate bacterial cells, and cultures would be negative. Moreover, in Orthopedics we find an already biofilm-adapted surgical group in which current strategies are based on the meticulous removal of compromised tissues, antibiotic options as based on high biofilm-killing local doses, and there are practical bedside strategies for dealing with biofilm infections. So here is where the new paradigm of biofilm infection meets the equally new paradigm of the culture negativity of biofilms, and this volume presents a conceptual synthesis that may soon combine the most effective molecular methods for the detection and identification of bacteria witha surgical discipline that is ready to help patients.

During the recent transition between acute diseases caused by swarms of single planktonic bacteria, and chronic infections caused by bacteria growing in slime-enclosed biofilms, a general clinical consensus has emerged that pathologies with bacterial etiologies are frequently culture negative. Because biofilm infections now affect 17 million Americans per year (killing approximately 450,000), the suggestion that these common and lethal infections regularly go unnoticed by the only FDA-approved method for their detection and characterization is a matter of urgent concern. Biologically, we would expect that planktonic bacterial cells would colonize any new surface, including the surface of an agar plate, while the specialized sessile cells of a biofilm community would have no such proclivity. In the study of biofilm diseases ranging from otitis media to prostatitis, it was found that direct microscopy and DNA- and RNA-based molecular methods regularly document the presence of living bacteria in tissues and samples that are culture negative. The editors selected orthopedic biofilm infections as the subject of this book because these infections occur against a background of microbiological sterility in which modern molecular methods would be expected to find bacterial DNA, RNA-based microscopic methods would be expected to locate bacterial cells, and cultures would be negative. Moreover, in Orthopedics we find an already biofilm-adapted surgical group in which current strategies are based on the meticulous removal of compromised tissues, antibiotic options as based on high biofilm-killing local doses, and there are practical bedside strategies for dealing with biofilm infections. So here is where the new paradigm of biofilm infection meets the equally new paradigm of the culture negativity of biofilms, and this volume presents a conceptual synthesis that may soon combine the most effective molecular methods for the detection and identification of bacteria witha surgical discipline that is ready to help patients.

This book provides a survey of recent advances in the development of antibiofilm agents for clinical and environmental applications. The fact that microbes exist in structured communities called biofilms has slowly become accepted within the medical community. We now know that over 80% of all infectious diseases are biofilm-related; however, significant challenges still lie in our ability to diagnose and treat these extremely recalcitrant infections.Written by experts from around the globe, this book offers a valuable resource for medical professionals seeking to treat biofilm-related disease, academic and industry researchers interested in drug discovery and instructors who teach courses on microbial pathogenesis and medical microbiology.

This book presents the current state of research on the basic scientific aspects of root canal biofilm biology within a clinically applicable context. Root canal biofilms are complex polymicrobial structures adhering to the root canal surface that are formed by microorganisms invading the pulpal space of teeth, and are associated with persistent root canal infections. Concerted efforts to study root canal biofilms have been made in the past decade, resulting in the publication of observational and experimental studies that detail the morphology and biology of these structures in infected root canals. In addition to confirming that bacteria in root canals do not exist in free-floating planktonic states as previously assumed, this new information on root canal biofilm infections has provided an opportunity to re-evaluate conventional clinical protocols and improve endodontic therapeutic measures.

This book presents the current state of research on the basic scientific aspects of root canal biofilm biology within a clinically applicable context. Root canal biofilms are complex polymicrobial structures adhering to the root canal surface that are formed by microorganisms invading the pulpal space of teeth, and are associated with persistent root canal infections. Concerted efforts to study root canal biofilms have been made in the past decade, resulting in the publication of observational and experimental studies that detail the morphology and biology of these structures in infected root canals. In addition to confirming that bacteria in root canals do not exist in free-floating planktonic states as previously assumed, this new information on root canal biofilm infections has provided an opportunity to re-evaluate conventional clinical protocols and improve endodontic therapeutic measures.

Bacteria and fungi are able to aggregate together or on surfaces in densely packed microcolonies, facilitated by extracellular polymeric substances for cell protection and stability. These biofilms have proven to be extremely hard to eradicate and remove once established. In chronic infections, this condition can result in a high degree of morbidity and mortality as regular antibiotic treatments are ineffective against biofilms. In industrial facilities, the formation of biofilms can ruin production and result in enormous financial losses.In this book, the current state of antibiofilm research is presented by experts from around the world. Novel, cutting-edge techniques and new optimized strategies based on established methods are discussed in chapters focused on biofilm prevention, treatment and control for the application in clinical, industrial and veterinary settings.Antibiofilm strategies, such as chemical and enzymatic treatments, surface modification and coatings, quorum sensing inhibition and dispersal induction, phage therapy, cold plasma treatment, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and metal-based nanomedicine are covered, among many others.This book contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, microbiologists, academics and for educators to inform curricula of universities and colleges.

Bacteria and fungi are able to aggregate together or on surfaces in densely packed microcolonies, facilitated by extracellular polymeric substances for cell protection and stability. These biofilms have proven to be extremely hard to eradicate and remove once established. In chronic infections, this condition can result in a high degree of morbidity and mortality as regular antibiotic treatments are ineffective against biofilms. In industrial facilities, the formation of biofilms can ruin production and result in enormous financial losses.In this book, the current state of antibiofilm research is presented by experts from around the world. Novel, cutting-edge techniques and new optimized strategies based on established methods are discussed in chapters focused on biofilm prevention, treatment and control for the application in clinical, industrial and veterinary settings.Antibiofilm strategies, such as chemical and enzymatic treatments, surface modification and coatings, quorum sensing inhibition and dispersal induction, phage therapy, cold plasma treatment, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and metal-based nanomedicine are covered, among many others.This book contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, microbiologists, academics and for educators to inform curricula of universities and colleges.

In an age of antibiotic resistant infections, the study of biofilms is increasingly important. Microbes more than often exist in complex multi-species or polymicrobial communities, making infections difficult to detect, diagnose and treat. Given the increased focus on studying biofilms in research and laboratory settings, particularly under conditions that closely mimic the clinical state, it is important to get an overview of the recent methods, model systems and tools being developed and employed in this context.This book offers readers the opportunity to learn more about current methods being used in the investigation of multi-species biofilms, both in vivo and in vitro. For this, the book highlights new technologies built and designed for the study of multiple species within biofilm communities, including those that can be leveraged for the evaluation of antimicrobial treatment approaches. The application of these state-of-the-art techniques to further ourunderstanding of multi-species biofilms will be discussed and the reader will learn how the clinical microenvironment and the development of biofilm communities are considered when developing such tools.With cutting-edge contributions from experts in the respective domains, this book will benefit translational and basic research scientists, as well as clinicians, and is an informative resource for educators and their students.

In an age of antibiotic resistant infections, the study of biofilms is increasingly important. Microbes more than often exist in complex multi-species or polymicrobial communities, making infections difficult to detect, diagnose and treat. Given the increased focus on studying biofilms in research and laboratory settings, particularly under conditions that closely mimic the clinical state, it is important to get an overview of the recent methods, model systems and tools being developed and employed in this context.This book offers readers the opportunity to learn more about current methods being used in the investigation of multi-species biofilms, both in vivo and in vitro. For this, the book highlights new technologies built and designed for the study of multiple species within biofilm communities, including those that can be leveraged for the evaluation of antimicrobial treatment approaches. The application of these state-of-the-art techniques to further ourunderstanding of multi-species biofilms will be discussed and the reader will learn how the clinical microenvironment and the development of biofilm communities are considered when developing such tools.With cutting-edge contributions from experts in the respective domains, this book will benefit translational and basic research scientists, as well as clinicians, and is an informative resource for educators and their students.

This book provides a comprehensive review of biofilm matrices. The main topics include an introduction to biofilm matrices and the range of biofilm matrix components (i.e., biofilm matrixome) as well as an overview of what is known about matrix structure, functionality, and regulation. Additional topics include recent progress in investigating the biofilm matrixome as well as challenges and outstanding questions and descriptions of the influence of matrix interactions on biofilm architecture and pathogen-host interactions.  This book covers an important aspect of biofilm biology-microbial biofilm matrices.Microbes form multicellular aggregates called biofilms, in which microbial cells are encased in an extracellular matrix. This enables microbes to withstand harsh environmental conditions including antibiotic treatment. Biofilms are ubiquitous in the environment and can be both beneficial and harmful. For example, they can be used to clean up wastewater, but they also cause serious and chronic infections. It is estimated that over 80% of infections in the United States are biofilm-associated. Some examples of biofilm-involved infections include infections of implanted medical devices or artificial joints and also chronic infections of burns and wounds, including diabetic ulcers. When biofilms show up during infections or human health problems, they act very differently than planktonic bacteria. For example, biofilms can be ~1000-fold more tolerant of antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts. The biofilm matrix is thought to be a key part of why these bacterial infections are so difficult to treat. Biofilm matrix composition varies between bacterial strains and under different growth conditions. In general, the biofilm matrix is rich in biopolymers and can contain exopolysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA (or eDNA), and lipids. The biofilm matrix promotes attachment and structurally reinforces bacterial aggregates, preventing clearance by mechanical forces. The matrix can even block antibiotics from accessing the bacteria or prevent the host immune system from seeing the bacteria.The target audience of this book is both established biofilm researchers and those who are newly learning about biofilms and biofilm matrices.

This book provides a comprehensive review of biofilm matrices. The main topics include an introduction to biofilm matrices and the range of biofilm matrix components (i.e., biofilm matrixome) as well as an overview of what is known about matrix structure, functionality, and regulation. Additional topics include recent progress in investigating the biofilm matrixome as well as challenges and outstanding questions and descriptions of the influence of matrix interactions on biofilm architecture and pathogen-host interactions.  This book covers an important aspect of biofilm biology-microbial biofilm matrices.Microbes form multicellular aggregates called biofilms, in which microbial cells are encased in an extracellular matrix. This enables microbes to withstand harsh environmental conditions including antibiotic treatment. Biofilms are ubiquitous in the environment and can be both beneficial and harmful. For example, they can be used to clean up wastewater, but they also cause serious and chronic infections. It is estimated that over 80% of infections in the United States are biofilm-associated. Some examples of biofilm-involved infections include infections of implanted medical devices or artificial joints and also chronic infections of burns and wounds, including diabetic ulcers. When biofilms show up during infections or human health problems, they act very differently than planktonic bacteria. For example, biofilms can be ~1000-fold more tolerant of antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts. The biofilm matrix is thought to be a key part of why these bacterial infections are so difficult to treat. Biofilm matrix composition varies between bacterial strains and under different growth conditions. In general, the biofilm matrix is rich in biopolymers and can contain exopolysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA (or eDNA), and lipids. The biofilm matrix promotes attachment and structurally reinforces bacterial aggregates, preventing clearance by mechanical forces. The matrix can even block antibiotics from accessing the bacteria or prevent the host immune system from seeing the bacteria.The target audience of this book is both established biofilm researchers and those who are newly learning about biofilms and biofilm matrices.

This book presents state-of-the-art information on the fundamentals of oral biofilm formation. The reader learns about adhesion and early colonization of polymicrobial communities, the biochemistry and function of the oral biofilm matrix, cooperative interactions, as well as antagonism among microbes within oral biofilms.The past decade has brought major technological advancements in molecular and microscopy technologies changing our understanding of oral biofilms in health and disease. International experts comprehensively describe key strategies and techniques for studying oral biofilms in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, including imaging, model systems and omics approaches. In addition, the book provides an up-to-date overview of oral biofilms and associated diseases. Innovative antibiofilm strategies are also addressed. These span from eradication or modulation of oral biofilms as a prevention strategy, and nonantibiotic or antibiotic-supplementing approaches such as quorum sensing inhibition, nanoparticles and pre-and probiotics.The book is a useful introduction to the field for early career scientists interested in basic and translational research on oral biofilms. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists and clinicians working in dentistry and oral health research, as it gives them a broader view of the topic beyond their area of specialization.

This book presents state-of-the-art information on the fundamentals of oral biofilm formation. The reader learns about adhesion and early colonization of polymicrobial communities, the biochemistry and function of the oral biofilm matrix, cooperative interactions, as well as antagonism among microbes within oral biofilms.The past decade has brought major technological advancements in molecular and microscopy technologies changing our understanding of oral biofilms in health and disease. International experts comprehensively describe key strategies and techniques for studying oral biofilms in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, including imaging, model systems and omics approaches. In addition, the book provides an up-to-date overview of oral biofilms and associated diseases. Innovative antibiofilm strategies are also addressed. These span from eradication or modulation of oral biofilms as a prevention strategy, and nonantibiotic or antibiotic-supplementing approaches such as quorum sensing inhibition, nanoparticles and pre-and probiotics.The book is a useful introduction to the field for early career scientists interested in basic and translational research on oral biofilms. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists and clinicians working in dentistry and oral health research, as it gives them a broader view of the topic beyond their area of specialization.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of critical information for those working in the field of fungal biofilms, and those entering the field. The WHO has published a list of critical high-priority fungal pathogens, many of which are capable of forming biofilms. The editors have brought together a team of world experts to impart their knowledge of specific elements of fungal biofilm biology and their clinical underpinning. The book covers critical areas of state-of-the-art research that are shaping the direction of travel within the biofilm research community. It focuses on the basic biology of how biofilms are formed and controlled, through applied areas of research where we can effectively manage these complex infections.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of critical information for those working in the field of fungal biofilms, and those entering the field. The WHO has published a list of critical high-priority fungal pathogens, many of which are capable of forming biofilms. The editors have brought together a team of world experts to impart their knowledge of specific elements of fungal biofilm biology and their clinical underpinning. The book covers critical areas of state-of-the-art research that are shaping the direction of travel within the biofilm research community. It focuses on the basic biology of how biofilms are formed and controlled, through applied areas of research where we can effectively manage these complex infections.

This volume distinguishes itself by focusing specifically on biofilm-associated infections within the context of the infectious microenvironment. Rather than providing a general overview, it integrates host–pathogen interactions, polymicrobial complexity, and microenvironmental heterogeneity to frame biofilms as dynamic drivers of chronic and treatment-refractory disease.Interest in the biofilm mode of microbial growth has evolved into a central paradigm in infection biology. Since the concept was introduced by J. William Costerton and later recognized by the American Society for Microbiology as a distinct mode of growth, the field has expanded substantially, with numerous books addressing biofilm structure, physiology, and antimicrobial tolerance.Authored by leading experts, the book provides a critical and up-to-date synthesis of biofilm involvement across diverse clinical settings, while highlighting emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. It is intended for researchers and clinicians seeking a mechanistic and translational perspective on biofilm infections within modern biomedical science.

This book details the widely accepted hypothesis that the majority of bacteria in virtually all ecosystems grow in matrix-enclosed biofilms. The author, who first proposed this biofilm hypothesis, uses direct evidence from microscopy and from molecular techniques, presenting cogent reasons for moving beyond conventional culture methods that dominated microbiology throughout the last century. Bacteria grow predominantly in biofilms in all natural, engineered, and pathogenic ecosystems, and this book provides a solid basis for the understanding of bacterial processes in environmental, industrial, agricultural, dental and medical microbiology. Using a unique "ecological" perspective, the author explores the commensal and pathogenic colonization of human organ systems.

Approximately 60% of all hospital-associated infections, over one million cases per year, are due to biofilms that have formed on indwelling medical devices. Device-related biofilm infections increase hospital stays and add over one billion dollars/year to U.S. hospitalization costs. Since the use and the types of indwelling medical devices commonly used in modern healthcare are continuously expanding, especially with an aging population, the incidence of biofilm infections will also continue to rise. The central problem with microbial biofilm infections of foreign bodies is their propensity to resist clearance by the host immune system and all antimicrobial agents tested to date. In fact, compared to their free floating, planktonic counterparts, microbes within a biofilm are 50 – 500 times more resistant to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, achieving therapeutic and non-lethal dosing regimens within the human host is impossible. The end result is a conversion from an acute infection to one that is persistent, chronic, and recurrent, most often requiring device removal in order to eliminate the infection. This text will describe the major types of device-related infections, and will explain the host, pathogen, and the unique properties of their interactions in order to gain a better understanding of these recalcitrant infections.

Biofouling is a costly problem, and it is encountered in a wide spectrum of technical systems, ranging from the shipping industry, power industry, water purification, automobile industry, paint and pharmaceuticals, to the microelectronics and food industries. Micro- and macroorganisms attach to surfaces and accumulate there, forming biofilms that cause interferences – a fundamentally natural process. Usually, a medical paradigm is applied: kill biofilms and the problem is solved. This leads to excessive biocide use. However, the success of this strategy is very limited; furthermore it leads to equipment damage and environmental pollution. Simply trying to kill the fouling organisms is clearly not seen as a successful strategy while cleaning is put forward as much more important. In this book, strategies to prevent adhesion, to mitigate the extent and effects of biofouling, and to detect and remove fouling layers are presented. Holistic approaches to the fouling process are elaborated, taking into account options such as nutrient limitation, repellent and easy-to-clean surfaces for fouling layer limitation, and replacing biocides with more environmentally friendly methods – in other words: learning how to live with fouling biofilms without suffering the damage they can do.

In the well-watered groves of academe, most of us are content to gather worshipful students and technicians in a shady nook to contemplate the eternal verities and to plan extravagant feasts to celebrate our contributions to “knowledge” and to the gradual improvement of the human condition. As one convocation follows another, and as our funding agencies pump billions of dollars into incremental research that ?lls every possible pigeon-hole in which a gene makes a protein, a small number of intellectual athletes seize a pivotal concept and plunge into the real world. It is this small band of nimble and impossibly brave intellectual halfbackswho win gamesin the real world, and this book is the result of the drive and intellectual athleticism of its editor and several of her contributors. Bacteria affect humans more than any other life forms with which we share the blue planet, but our understandingof these invisible companionshas developed in a staggering pattern, crippled by our panic and consequent shifts of emphasis. When our race was threatened by epidemic diseases, we visualized bacteria as swarms of potentially lethal planktoniccells from which we must remain isolated by sanitation and which we had to kill by immunization and chemical antibacterial compounds. By the time this overriding threat had been obviated, we began to examine na- ral and pathogenic ecosystems by direct methods, and we were surprised to ?nd that planktonic bacteria are comparatively rare and that most prokaryotes grow in matrix-enclosedbio?lms.

This book details the widely accepted hypothesis that the majority of bacteria in virtually all ecosystems grow in matrix-enclosed biofilms. The author, who first proposed this biofilm hypothesis, uses direct evidence from microscopy and from molecular techniques, presenting cogent reasons for moving beyond conventional culture methods that dominated microbiology throughout the last century. Bacteria grow predominantly in biofilms in all natural, engineered, and pathogenic ecosystems, and this book provides a solid basis for the understanding of bacterial processes in environmental, industrial, agricultural, dental and medical microbiology. Using a unique "ecological" perspective, the author explores the commensal and pathogenic colonization of human organ systems.

Approximately 60% of all hospital-associated infections, over one million cases per year, are due to biofilms that have formed on indwelling medical devices. Device-related biofilm infections increase hospital stays and add over one billion dollars/year to U.S. hospitalization costs. Since the use and the types of indwelling medical devices commonly used in modern healthcare are continuously expanding, especially with an aging population, the incidence of biofilm infections will also continue to rise. The central problem with microbial biofilm infections of foreign bodies is their propensity to resist clearance by the host immune system and all antimicrobial agents tested to date. In fact, compared to their free floating, planktonic counterparts, microbes within a biofilm are 50 – 500 times more resistant to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, achieving therapeutic and non-lethal dosing regimens within the human host is impossible. The end result is a conversion from an acute infection to one that is persistent, chronic, and recurrent, most often requiring device removal in order to eliminate the infection. This text will describe the major types of device-related infections, and will explain the host, pathogen, and the unique properties of their interactions in order to gain a better understanding of these recalcitrant infections.

Biofouling is a costly problem, and it is encountered in a wide spectrum of technical systems, ranging from the shipping industry, power industry, water purification, automobile industry, paint and pharmaceuticals, to the microelectronics and food industries. Micro- and macroorganisms attach to surfaces and accumulate there, forming biofilms that cause interferences – a fundamentally natural process. Usually, a medical paradigm is applied: kill biofilms and the problem is solved. This leads to excessive biocide use. However, the success of this strategy is very limited; furthermore it leads to equipment damage and environmental pollution. Simply trying to kill the fouling organisms is clearly not seen as a successful strategy while cleaning is put forward as much more important. In this book, strategies to prevent adhesion, to mitigate the extent and effects of biofouling, and to detect and remove fouling layers are presented. Holistic approaches to the fouling process are elaborated, taking into account options such as nutrient limitation, repellent and easy-to-clean surfaces for fouling layer limitation, and replacing biocides with more environmentally friendly methods – in other words: learning how to live with fouling biofilms without suffering the damage they can do.

In the well-watered groves of academe, most of us are content to gather worshipful students and technicians in a shady nook to contemplate the eternal verities and to plan extravagant feasts to celebrate our contributions to “knowledge” and to the gradual improvement of the human condition. As one convocation follows another, and as our funding agencies pump billions of dollars into incremental research that ?lls every possible pigeon-hole in which a gene makes a protein, a small number of intellectual athletes seize a pivotal concept and plunge into the real world. It is this small band of nimble and impossibly brave intellectual halfbackswho win gamesin the real world, and this book is the result of the drive and intellectual athleticism of its editor and several of her contributors. Bacteria affect humans more than any other life forms with which we share the blue planet, but our understandingof these invisible companionshas developed in a staggering pattern, crippled by our panic and consequent shifts of emphasis. When our race was threatened by epidemic diseases, we visualized bacteria as swarms of potentially lethal planktoniccells from which we must remain isolated by sanitation and which we had to kill by immunization and chemical antibacterial compounds. By the time this overriding threat had been obviated, we began to examine na- ral and pathogenic ecosystems by direct methods, and we were surprised to ?nd that planktonic bacteria are comparatively rare and that most prokaryotes grow in matrix-enclosedbio?lms.

Living in biofilms is the common way of life of microorganisms, transiently immobilized in their matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), interacting in many ways and using the matrix as an external digestion and protection system. This is how they have organized their life in the environment, in the medical context and in technical systems – and has helped make them the oldest, most successful and ubiquitous form of life. In this book, hot spots in current biofilm research are presented in critical and sometimes provocative chapters. This serves a twofold purpose: to provide an overview and to inspire further discussions. Above all, the book seeks to stimulate lateral thinking.

Biofilms are implicated in many common medical problems including urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear infections, dental plaque, gingivitis, and some less common but more lethal processes such as endocarditis and infections in cystic fibrosis.  However, the true importance of biofilms in the overall process of disease pathogenesis has only recently been recognized. Bacterial biofilms are one of the fundamental reasons for incipient wound healing failure in that they may impair natural cutaneous wound healing and reduce topical antimicrobial efficiency in infected skin wounds.  Their existence explains many of the enigmas of microbial infection and a better grasp of the process may well serve to establish a different approach to infection control and management.   Biofilms and their associated complications have been found to be involved in up to 80% of all infections.  A large number of studies targeted at the bacterial biofilms have been conducted, and many of them are referred to in this book, which is the first of its kind.   These clinical observations emphasize the importance of biofilm formation to both superficial and systemic infections, and the inability of current antimicrobial therapies to ‘cure’ the resulting diseases even when the in vitro tests suggest that they should be fully effective.In veterinary medicine the concept of biofilms and their role in the pathogenesis of disease has lagged seriously behind that in human medicine.  This is all the more extraordinary when one considers that much of the research has been carried out using veterinary species in experimental situations.   The clinical features of biofilms in human medicine is certainly mimicked in the veterinary species but there is an inherent and highly regrettable indifference to the failure of antimicrobial therapy in many veterinary disease situations, and this is probably at its most retrograde in veterinary wound management. Biofilms and Veterinary Medicine is specifically focused on discussing the concerns of biofilms to health and disease in animals and provides a definitive text for veterinary practitioners, medical and veterinary students, and researchers.

Biofilms are implicated in many common medical problems including urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear infections, dental plaque, gingivitis, and some less common but more lethal processes such as endocarditis and infections in cystic fibrosis.  However, the true importance of biofilms in the overall process of disease pathogenesis has only recently been recognized. Bacterial biofilms are one of the fundamental reasons for incipient wound healing failure in that they may impair natural cutaneous wound healing and reduce topical antimicrobial efficiency in infected skin wounds.  Their existence explains many of the enigmas of microbial infection and a better grasp of the process may well serve to establish a different approach to infection control and management.   Biofilms and their associated complications have been found to be involved in up to 80% of all infections.  A large number of studies targeted at the bacterial biofilms have been conducted, and many of them are referred to in this book, which is the first of its kind.   These clinical observations emphasize the importance of biofilm formation to both superficial and systemic infections, and the inability of current antimicrobial therapies to ‘cure’ the resulting diseases even when the in vitro tests suggest that they should be fully effective.In veterinary medicine the concept of biofilms and their role in the pathogenesis of disease has lagged seriously behind that in human medicine.  This is all the more extraordinary when one considers that much of the research has been carried out using veterinary species in experimental situations.   The clinical features of biofilms in human medicine is certainly mimicked in the veterinary species but there is an inherent and highly regrettable indifference to the failure of antimicrobial therapy in many veterinary disease situations, and this is probably at its most retrograde in veterinary wound management. Biofilms and Veterinary Medicine is specifically focused on discussing the concerns of biofilms to health and disease in animals and provides a definitive text for veterinary practitioners, medical and veterinary students, and researchers.

Living in biofilms is the common way of life of microorganisms, transiently immobilized in their matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), interacting in many ways and using the matrix as an external digestion and protection system. This is how they have organized their life in the environment, in the medical context and in technical systems – and has helped make them the oldest, most successful and ubiquitous form of life. In this book, hot spots in current biofilm research are presented in critical and sometimes provocative chapters. This serves a twofold purpose: to provide an overview and to inspire further discussions. Above all, the book seeks to stimulate lateral thinking.

During the recent transition between acute diseases caused by swarms of single planktonic bacteria, and chronic infections caused by bacteria growing in slime-enclosed biofilms, a general clinical consensus has emerged that pathologies with bacterial etiologies are frequently culture negative. Because biofilm infections now affect 17 million Americans per year (killing approximately 450,000), the suggestion that these common and lethal infections regularly go unnoticed by the only FDA-approved method for their detection and characterization is a matter of urgent concern. Biologically, we would expect that planktonic bacterial cells would colonize any new surface, including the surface of an agar plate, while the specialized sessile cells of a biofilm community would have no such proclivity. In the study of biofilm diseases ranging from otitis media to prostatitis, it was found that direct microscopy and DNA- and RNA-based molecular methods regularly document the presence of living bacteria in tissues and samples that are culture negative. The editors selected orthopedic biofilm infections as the subject of this book because these infections occur against a background of microbiological sterility in which modern molecular methods would be expected to find bacterial DNA, RNA-based microscopic methods would be expected to locate bacterial cells, and cultures would be negative. Moreover, in Orthopedics we find an already biofilm-adapted surgical group in which current strategies are based on the meticulous removal of compromised tissues, antibiotic options as based on high biofilm-killing local doses, and there are practical bedside strategies for dealing with biofilm infections. So here is where the new paradigm of biofilm infection meets the equally new paradigm of the culture negativity of biofilms, and this volume presents a conceptual synthesis that may soon combine the most effective molecular methods for the detection and identification of bacteria witha surgical discipline that is ready to help patients.

During the recent transition between acute diseases caused by swarms of single planktonic bacteria, and chronic infections caused by bacteria growing in slime-enclosed biofilms, a general clinical consensus has emerged that pathologies with bacterial etiologies are frequently culture negative. Because biofilm infections now affect 17 million Americans per year (killing approximately 450,000), the suggestion that these common and lethal infections regularly go unnoticed by the only FDA-approved method for their detection and characterization is a matter of urgent concern. Biologically, we would expect that planktonic bacterial cells would colonize any new surface, including the surface of an agar plate, while the specialized sessile cells of a biofilm community would have no such proclivity. In the study of biofilm diseases ranging from otitis media to prostatitis, it was found that direct microscopy and DNA- and RNA-based molecular methods regularly document the presence of living bacteria in tissues and samples that are culture negative. The editors selected orthopedic biofilm infections as the subject of this book because these infections occur against a background of microbiological sterility in which modern molecular methods would be expected to find bacterial DNA, RNA-based microscopic methods would be expected to locate bacterial cells, and cultures would be negative. Moreover, in Orthopedics we find an already biofilm-adapted surgical group in which current strategies are based on the meticulous removal of compromised tissues, antibiotic options as based on high biofilm-killing local doses, and there are practical bedside strategies for dealing with biofilm infections. So here is where the new paradigm of biofilm infection meets the equally new paradigm of the culture negativity of biofilms, and this volume presents a conceptual synthesis that may soon combine the most effective molecular methods for the detection and identification of bacteria witha surgical discipline that is ready to help patients.

This book provides a survey of recent advances in the development of antibiofilm agents for clinical and environmental applications. The fact that microbes exist in structured communities called biofilms has slowly become accepted within the medical community. We now know that over 80% of all infectious diseases are biofilm-related; however, significant challenges still lie in our ability to diagnose and treat these extremely recalcitrant infections.Written by experts from around the globe, this book offers a valuable resource for medical professionals seeking to treat biofilm-related disease, academic and industry researchers interested in drug discovery and instructors who teach courses on microbial pathogenesis and medical microbiology.

This book presents the current state of research on the basic scientific aspects of root canal biofilm biology within a clinically applicable context. Root canal biofilms are complex polymicrobial structures adhering to the root canal surface that are formed by microorganisms invading the pulpal space of teeth, and are associated with persistent root canal infections. Concerted efforts to study root canal biofilms have been made in the past decade, resulting in the publication of observational and experimental studies that detail the morphology and biology of these structures in infected root canals. In addition to confirming that bacteria in root canals do not exist in free-floating planktonic states as previously assumed, this new information on root canal biofilm infections has provided an opportunity to re-evaluate conventional clinical protocols and improve endodontic therapeutic measures.

This book presents the current state of research on the basic scientific aspects of root canal biofilm biology within a clinically applicable context. Root canal biofilms are complex polymicrobial structures adhering to the root canal surface that are formed by microorganisms invading the pulpal space of teeth, and are associated with persistent root canal infections. Concerted efforts to study root canal biofilms have been made in the past decade, resulting in the publication of observational and experimental studies that detail the morphology and biology of these structures in infected root canals. In addition to confirming that bacteria in root canals do not exist in free-floating planktonic states as previously assumed, this new information on root canal biofilm infections has provided an opportunity to re-evaluate conventional clinical protocols and improve endodontic therapeutic measures.