Medical Implications of Biofilms
Medical Implications of Biofilms
Deirdre Devine , Leeds Dental Institute, University of Leeds
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Human tissues often support large, complex microbial communities growing as biofilms that can cause a variety of infections. As a result of an increased use of implanted medical devices, the incidence of these biofilm-associated diseases is increasing: the non-shedding surfaces of these devices provide ideal substrata for colonisation by biofilm-forming microbes. The consequences of this mode of growth are far-reaching. As microbes in biofilms exhibit increased tolerance towards antimicrobial agents and decreased susceptibility to host defence systems, biofilm-associated diseases are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Not surprisingly, therefore, interest in biofilms has increased dramatically. The application of microscopic and molecular techniques has revolutionised our understanding of biofilm structure, composition, organisation, and activities, resulting in important advances in the prevention and treatment of biofilm-related diseases. The purpose of this book, which was first published in 2003, is to bring these advances to the attention of clinicians and medical researchers.
- Deals specifically with the diseases that bioforms induce
- Focuses on developments in our understanding of biofilms that derive from the use of molecular and microscopic techniques
- Covers the three major classes of biofilm-induced diseases - those associated with oral cavities, medical devices, and shedding surfaces
Reviews & endorsements
Review of the hardback: '… a real pleasure to read … suitable for both clinicians and medical researchers. the wide range of topics covered makes this work a perfect review for those interested in medically related biofilms.' ASM News
Review of the hardback: '… a valuable reference both for biofilm aficionados and anyone, including final-year undergraduates, with an interest in infectious diseases.' Microbiology Today
Product details
September 2003Hardback
9780521812405
338 pages
229 × 152 × 25 mm
0.8kg
Available
Table of Contents
- Part I. Introductory Chapters:
- 1. Biofilm-dependent regulation of gene expression P. LeJeune
- 2. Quorum sensing and microbial biofilms T. R. de Kievit
- 3. Antimicrobial agents and biofilms M. R. Brown
- Part II. Biofilms on Prosthetic Devices:
- 4. Animal models of orthopaedic implant infection Y. H. An
- 5. Intravascular-catheter-related infections H. A. Hanna
- 6. Molecular basis of biofilm formation by staphylococcus epidermidis C. Heilmann
- 7. Biofilm complications of urinary tract devices S. P. Gorman
- Part III. Oral Biofilms:
- 8. Novel microscopic methods to study the structure and metabolism of oral biofilms D. Bradshaw
- 9. Oral streptococcal genes that encode biofilm formation C. Y. Loo
- 10. Gene expression in oral biofilms R. A. Burne
- Part IV. Biofilms on Shedding Surfaces:
- 11. Dissection of the genetic pathway leading to multicellular behaviour in salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium and other enterobacteriaceae U. Romling
- 12. Bacterial growth on mucosal surfaces and biofilms in the large bowel G. T. Macfarlane
- 13. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in lung infections K. K. Jefferson.
