Biofilms In Infection Prevention And Control

Biofilms in Infection and Disease Control: A Healthcare Handbook outlines the scientific evidence and rationale for the prevention of infection, the role biofilms play in infection control, and the issues concerning their resistance to antimicrobials. This book provides practical guidance for healthcare and infection control professionals, as well as students, for preventing and controlling infection. Biofilms are the most common mode of bacterial growth in nature. Highly resistant to antibiotics and antimicrobials, biofilms are the source of more than 65 percent of health care associated infections (HCAI), which, according to the WHO, affect 1.4 million people annually. Biofilms are involved in 80 percent of all microbial infections in the body, including those associated with medical devices such as catheters, endotracheal tubes, joint prostheses, and heart valves. Biofilms are also the principle causes of infections of the middle-ear, dental caries, gingivitis, prostatitis and cystic fibrosis. Importantly, biofilms also significantly delay wound healing and reduce antimicrobial efficiency in at-risk or infected skin wounds. Provides specific procedures for controlling and preventing infection Includes case studies of HCAI, and identifies appropriate treatments Presents national government standards for infection prevention and control Includes extensive references and links to websites for further information

Biofilms and Implantable Medical Devices: Infection and Control explores the increasing use of permanent and semi-permanent implants and indwelling medical devices. As an understanding of the growth and impact of biofilm formation on these medical devices and biomaterials is vital for protecting the health of the human host, this book provides readers with a comprehensive treatise on biofilms and their relationship with medical devices, also reporting on infections and associated strategies for prevention. Provides useful information on the fundamentals of biofilm problems in medical devices Discusses biofilm problems in a range of medical devices Focuses on strategies for prevention of biofilm formation

In the battle between humans and microbes, knowledge may be not only the best weapon but also the best defense. Pulling contributions from 34 experts into a unified presentation, Disinfection and Decontamination: Principles, Applications, and Related Issues provides coverage that is both sophisticated and practical. The book reviews the fundamentals, explores the interdisciplinary nature of the science, and includes discussions of regulatory and legal issues. While the chapters present in depth coverage of infections in hospitals, they also widen their scope to include laboratories outside the healthcare environment. Based on practical experience, the volume examines recent advances in the research, development, and applications for disinfection and decontamination in many different settings. The chapters address, and supply insight into, the issues found with infectious disease, devices and new materials for implantation, principles, mechanisms, testing methods and strategies, and various applications. They also cover current research and best practice for ways to reduce infection caused by devices. The book’s emphasis on new technologies highlights the need for safer biocides and microbiological concerns in the manufacturing environment. The broad focus combined with the global, interdisciplinary panel of authors gives you a snapshot of disease transmission, perspectives on infectious challenges and solutions in a global perspective, and an understanding of global governance. The book offers in depth information on specific topics and an understanding of the fundamentals, giving you a starting point and precise information for resolving problems.

An examination of the research and translational application to prevent and treat biofilm-associated diseases In the decade since the first edition of Microbial Biofilms was published, the interest in this field has expanded, spurring breakthrough research that has advanced the treatment of biofilm-associated diseases. This second edition takes the reader on an exciting, extensive review of bacterial and fungal biofilms, ranging from basic molecular interactions to innovative therapies, with particular emphasis on the division of labor in biofilms, new approaches to combat the threat of microbial biofilms, and how biofilms evade the host defense. Chapters written by established investigators cover recent findings, and contributions from investigators new to the field provide unique and fresh insights. Specifically, Microbial Biofilms provides state-of-the-art research in the field of bacterial and fungal biofilms detailed descriptions of the in vitro and in vivo models available to evaluate microbial biofilms future areas of research and their translational and clinical applications Microbial Biofilms is a useful reference for researchers and clinicians. It will also provide insight in the dynamic field of microbial biofilms for graduate and postgraduate students.

This book will cover both the evidence for biofilms in many chronic bacterial infections as well as the problems facing these infections such as diagnostics and treatment regimes. A still increasing interest and emphasis on the sessile bacterial lifestyle biofilms has been seen since it was realized that that less than 0.1% of the total microbial biomass lives in the planktonic mode of growth. The term was coined in 1978 by Costerton et al. who defined the term biofilm for the first time.In 1993 the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) recognised that the biofilmmode of growth was relevant to microbiology. Lately many articles have been published on the clinical implications of bacterial biofilms. Both original articles and reviews concerning the biofilm problem are available.

Throughout the biological world, bacteria thrive predominantly in surface-attached, matrix-enclosed, multicellular communities or biofilms, as opposed to isolated planktonic cells. This choice of lifestyle is not trivial, as it involves major shifts in the use of genetic information and cellular energy, and has profound consequences for bacterial physiology and survival. Growth within a biofilm can thwart immune function and antibiotic therapy and thereby complicate the treatment of infectious diseases, especially chronic and foreign device-associated infections. Modern studies of many important biofilms have advanced well beyond the descriptive stage, and have begun to provide molecular details of the structural, biochemical, and genetic processes that drive biofilm formation and its dispersion. There is much diversity in the details of biofilm development among various species, but there are also commonalities. In most species, environmental and nutritional conditions greatly influence biofilm development. Similar kinds of adhesive molecules often promote biofilm formation in diverse species. Signaling and regulatory processes that drive biofilm development are often conserved, especially among related bacteria. Knowledge of such processes holds great promise for efforts to control biofilm growth and combat biofilm-associated infections. This volume focuses on the biology of biofilms that affect human disease, although it is by no means comprehensive. It opens with chapters that provide the reader with current perspectives on biofilm development, physiology, environmental, and regulatory effects, the role of quorum sensing, and resistance/phenotypic persistence to antimicrobial agents during biofilm growth.

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.

In collaboration with Consulting Editor, Dr. Helen Boucher, Dr. Vivian Chu has created an issue that provides current clinical updates on device-associated infections. Authors are represented by experts across the world, who have contributed clinical reviews on the following topics: Intravascular Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections; Vascular Graft Infections; Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device-Associated Infections; Left Ventricular Device-Associated Infections; Urinary Catheter-Associated Infections; Prosthetic Joint Infections; Neurosurgical Device-Related Infections; Breast Implant Infections; Cochlear Implant Infections; Gastrointestinal Scope-Related Infections; Understanding Biofilms and Novel Approaches to the Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment of Medical Device-Associated infections; and Infections of Hemodialysis Access Devices. Readers will come away with the information they need to make informed clinical decisions that improve patient outcomes.