Diagnosis and Treatment of Biofilm-Related Infections

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Antibiofilm Strategies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 10052

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzidisabled, Milan, Italy
Interests: antibiotics; microbial biofilms; biofilm-related infections

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microbial biofilms have been recognized to contribute to the pathogenesis of the majority of clinical infections, particularly of chronic infections. Even if production of biofilm is often associated with adhesion to inert or biotic surfaces, such as implant devices, nowadays we know that bacteria are able to form free aggregates with characteristics similar to those of adhered biofilm. The biofilm matrix, as well as the low metabolic rate, protects bacteria from the activity of the host immune system and from antibiotics. As a consequence, biofilm-related infections are persistent ones, are rarely effectively counteracted by the immune system, and poorly respond to antimicrobial treatments, representing a hard challenge for clinicians and microbiologists. Moreover, treatment of these infections is often long and may include prolonged hospitalization, thus heavily affecting the quality of life of patients.

This Special Issue focuses on diagnosis and treatment of biofilm-related infections and will consist of 10–15 manuscripts, including original research articles, reviews and opinion papers.  Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Novel markers of biofilm-related infections;
  2. Innovative approach to diagnosis of biofilm-related infections;
  3. Pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in biofilm-related infections;
  4. Prevention of biofilm-related infections;
  5. Management of biofilm-related infections;
  6. Novel and/or alternative treatments for biofilm-related infections.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Elena De Vecchi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biofilm-related infections
  • biomarkers or biofilm-related infections
  • diagnosis of biofilm-related infections
  • antimicrobials and biofilm-related infections
  • pathogens of biofilm-related infections
  • treatment of biofilm-related infections.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 399 KiB  
Article
Reimplantation after Periprosthetic Joint Infection: The Role of Microbiology
by Virginia Suardi, Nicola Logoluso, Filippo Maria Anghilieri, Giuseppe Santoro and Antonio Virgilio Pellegrini
Antibiotics 2022, 11(10), 1408; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/antibiotics11101408 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1130
Abstract
Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is among the most feared orthopedic complications. Critical questions are whether the infection is completely resolved before reimplantation and what the clinical significance of positive culture is at reimplantation. The aim of this study was to determine whether a [...] Read more.
Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is among the most feared orthopedic complications. Critical questions are whether the infection is completely resolved before reimplantation and what the clinical significance of positive culture is at reimplantation. The aim of this study was to determine whether a correlation exits between culture results at reimplantation after spacer insertion for hip and knee PJI and treatment failure rate. The data of 84 patients who underwent two-stage exchange arthroplasty for hip or knee PJI were reviewed and the results of intraoperative culture at reimplantation were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Correlations were sought between these patterns and treatment outcome. Our data indicate no evidence for a correlation between positive culture at reimplantation and greater risk of treatment failure. Nonetheless, we noted a higher, albeit statistically not significant rate of treatment failure in patients with at least two samples testing positive. The role of microbiology at reimplantation remains unclear, but a positive culture might signal increased risk for subsequent implant failure. Further studies are needed to elucidate the implications of this finding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis and Treatment of Biofilm-Related Infections)
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24 pages, 19212 KiB  
Article
Polymicrobial Biofilm Dynamics of Multidrug-Resistant Candida albicans and Ampicillin-Resistant Escherichia coli and Antimicrobial Inhibition by Aqueous Garlic Extract
by Priya Ashrit, Bindu Sadanandan, Kalidas Shetty and Vijayalakshmi Vaniyamparambath
Antibiotics 2022, 11(5), 573; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/antibiotics11050573 - 25 Apr 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3006
Abstract
The polymicrobial biofilm of C. albicans with E. coli exhibits a dynamic interspecies interaction and is refractory to conventional antimicrobials. In this study, a high biofilm-forming multidrug-resistant strain of C. albicans overcomes inhibition by E. coli in a 24 h coculture. However, following [...] Read more.
The polymicrobial biofilm of C. albicans with E. coli exhibits a dynamic interspecies interaction and is refractory to conventional antimicrobials. In this study, a high biofilm-forming multidrug-resistant strain of C. albicans overcomes inhibition by E. coli in a 24 h coculture. However, following treatment with whole Aqueous Garlic Extract (AGE), these individual biofilms of multidrug-resistant C. albicans M-207 and Ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli ATCC 39936 and their polymicrobial biofilm were prevented, as evidenced by biochemical and structural characterization. This study advances the antimicrobial potential of AGE to inhibit drug-resistant C. albicans and bacterial-associated polymicrobial biofilms, suggesting the potential for effective combinatorial and synergistic antimicrobial designs with minimal side effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis and Treatment of Biofilm-Related Infections)
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16 pages, 369 KiB  
Article
No Correlation between Biofilm Formation, Virulence Factors, and Antibiotic Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Results from a Laboratory-Based In Vitro Study
by Márió Gajdács, Zoltán Baráth, Krisztina Kárpáti, Dóra Szabó, Donatella Usai, Stefania Zanetti and Matthew Gavino Donadu
Antibiotics 2021, 10(9), 1134; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/antibiotics10091134 - 20 Sep 2021
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 5223
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) possesses a plethora of virulence determinants, including the production of biofilm, pigments, exotoxins, proteases, flagella, and secretion systems. The aim of our present study was to establish the relationship between biofilm-forming capacity, the expression of some important [...] Read more.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) possesses a plethora of virulence determinants, including the production of biofilm, pigments, exotoxins, proteases, flagella, and secretion systems. The aim of our present study was to establish the relationship between biofilm-forming capacity, the expression of some important virulence factors, and the multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype in P. aeruginosa. A total of three hundred and two (n = 302) isolates were included in this study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and phenotypic detection of resistance determinants were carried out; based on these results, isolates were grouped into distinct resistotypes and multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices were calculated. The capacity of isolates to produce biofilm was assessed using a crystal violet microtiter-plate based method. Motility (swimming, swarming, and twitching) and pigment-production (pyoverdine and pyocyanin) were also measured. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were calculated to determine for antimicrobial resistance, biofilm-formation, and expression of other virulence factors. Resistance rates were the highest for ceftazidime (56.95%; n = 172), levofloxacin (54.97%; n = 166), and ciprofloxacin (54.64%; n = 159), while lowest for colistin (1.66%; n = 5); 44.04% (n = 133) of isolates were classified as MDR. 19.87% (n = 60), 20.86% (n = 63) and 59.27% (n = 179) were classified as weak, moderate, and strong biofilm producers, respectively. With the exception of pyocyanin production (0.371 ± 0.193 vs. non-MDR: 0.319 ± 0.191; p = 0.018), MDR and non-MDR isolates did not show significant differences in expression of virulence factors. Additionally, no relevant correlations were seen between the rate of biofilm formation, pigment production, or motility. Data on interplay between the presence and mechanisms of drug resistance with those of biofilm formation and virulence is crucial to address chronic bacterial infections and to provide strategies for their management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis and Treatment of Biofilm-Related Infections)
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