Biofilm Essay

Progressive lung disease is the predominant cause of illness and death in people with CF. Mucus blocks the airway passages and results in a predisposition toward chronic bacterial infections. Although the genetic defect underlying CF has been characterized, exactly how and why individuals become infected with Pseudomonas is unknown. The lungs of most children with CF become colonized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa before their 10th birthday. Chronic infection with these bacteria reduces an individuals quality of life, causing acute symptoms of cough, sputum production, and inflammation, which causes repeated exacerbations or episodes of intense breathing problems. Eventually leading to scarring and destruction of lung tissue and, ultimately, death. While it is clear that antibiotic therapy directed against these organisms lengthens the life span of individuals with CF, increasing antibiotic resistance develops. Although antibiotics can decrease the frequency and duration of these attacks, the bacterium establishes a permanent residence and can never be completely

However, everybody who has contact with the patient or the environment is entitled to relevant information that will enable them to reduce the risks of transmission to

Early infection with P. aeruginosa resembles acute non-CF infections within the airways, however the bacterium can evolve genotypically and phenotypically during infection, and adapt to its human host1. Adaptive mutations resulting in loss of motility and acquired antibiotic resistance support a sessile lifestyle that is associated with persistent infection within the CF lungs9, 12. Chronic infection is characterized by immunity-mediated inflammation from increased recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to the lungs2. Furthermore, P. aeruginosa utilizes an assortment of virulence factors such as proteases, exotoxin A, and phospholipases to destroy host tissue, by which the symptoms of CF patients are

Microorganisms are both beneficial and harmful. These microorganisms are important to humans because they play a role in the ecology of life, by decomposing wastes, both natural and man-made, such as creating nitrogen fertilizer at the root zones of certain crops. Other several pathogens that can cause serious harm, even immediate death due to the diseases or disease causing products they produce. Overall, microorganisms play an important role in life.

Contact with germs is a concern for people with cystic fibrosis. Sticky mucus build up in the lung allow these germs to thrive and multiple (About Cystic Fibrosis, 2013). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacteria very commonly carried around by healthy individuals without any symptoms. But for people who are ill and have weak immune systems, this bacteria can cause a deadly infection. Infection is hard to treat because Pseudomonas aeruginosa can resist many antibiotics. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is spread easily in hospitals by health care professionals and uncleansed medical equipment. This serious infection can cause pneumonia in the lungs and cause septic shock if released into the blood stream (CDC 2014). Therefore, the exposure to

Cystic fibrosis is an acquired malady described by the development of thick, sticky bodily fluid. This bodily fluid can make harm a number of the body's organs. The most widely recognized signs and indications incorporate dynamic harm to the respiratory framework and interminable digestive framework issues. The seriousness and elements of Cystic fibrosis fluctuate amongst each influenced person. The bodily fluid that greases up and secures the linings of the aviation routes, digestive framework, the regenerative framework and different organs and tissues is unusually thick and sticky in patients with Cystic fibrosis. This can obstruct the aviation routes prompting serious breathing issues and bacterial diseases in the lungs. The bacterial

I think some of the most important changes in chemotherapeutic management of microbial disease are that it was discovered that chemicals could be used to destroy pathogens, without destroying human tissue. “By 1904 Ehrlich found that the dye trypan red was active against the trypanosome that cause African sleeping sickness and could be used therapeutically” (Willey, Sherwood, & Woolverton, 2014). It was also discovered that drugs can be given to

Biofilms play a crucial role in the persistence of lung infections in CF patients due to the protective extracellular matrix that is formed by the bacterial community (5). This barrier limits the penetration of antibiotics and results in varying nutrient gradients, allowing for a diverse range of bacteria (5). Bacteria inside this biofilm are able to sense the presence of other cells, and alter their properties accordingly to suit the environment. This is particularly interesting as the bacterial communities within a biofilm may compete with each other for dominance in the biofilm (6). Therefore, bacterial competition may impact the treatment and actions needed to treat biofilms in the lungs of CF patients

Lab Manual    Introductory Biology (Version 1.4)    © 2010 eScience Labs, LLC  All rights reserved  www.esciencelabs.com • 888.375.5487    2  Table of Contents:    Introduction:          Lab 1:   The Scientific Method  Lab 2:   Writing a Lab Report  Lab 3:  Data Measurement  Lab 4:  Introduction to the Microscope    Biological Processes:            Lab 5:   The Chemistry of Life 

When reflecting back to experiment 3, Aseptic Technique and Culturing Microbes, I realized the large amount of microorganisms that can be found in everyday life. Many different types are found with in the human body. Theses experiments focused on two types of bacteria. First was Staphylococcus epidermidis, found on the skin, and second was Lactobacillus acidophilus, found in the gastrointestinal tract. Both have similar needs for growth when it comes to temperature, however, different growth environments are used.

Cystic fibrosis also known as CF is a rare life threatening genetic disorder. CF causes individuals with this disorder to have persistent lung infections, in turn limiting their breathing. Individuals with cystic fibrosis, have a mutated gene that causes a thick, build-up of mucus in the lungs. Generally, it affects many of the body’s organ systems and is only found in about 200,000 people per year in the United States. Cystic fibrosis is the most widely recognized, life-shortening hereditary sickness in Caucasians. It influences the vehicle of salt and water crosswise over cells and influences distinctive organs, yet lung infection is in charge of the dominant part of manifestations, weight of care, and lost years of life. The quality that causes the sickness has now been recognized and sequenced. (Junge et al., 2016)

Hands were wet by a running tap and antiseptic detergents or liquid soap (5ml was poured onto the hands, the technique consisted of five backwards and forwards strokes in the motion of; palm to palm, each palm over the other hand’s back, interlocking palm to palm, each palm over the other hand’s back interlocked and then the rotational scrubbing of the fingers into each palm finalised by the rubbing of the wrists during a 30-second time span. Then the hands were rinsed with water for 15-seconds and dried with two paper towels for 15-seconds. (Ayliffe et all, 1978) Whilst this technique has strict timescales the WHO elects the timescale of roughly the time taken to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. This raises concerns over the approximates as this will differ from person to person. The procedure itself remains nearly exact except from the addition of turning the tap off with a towel to avoid recontamination and the exact timings are lost. This technique only stated to use running water, however no temperature was specified. Hand Washing for Life (200-) advises that water should not be above 110F as this temperature would cause hands become damaged by loosing delicate tissues on the skin. This can cause bacteria to become trapped and more difficult to remove, as well as cause pain to the worker. It is a legal requirement for health professions to take the necessary measures to

Bacterial urinary tract infections represent the most common type of nosocomial infections. Often, the ability of bacteria to both establish and maintain these infections are directly related to biofilm formation on indwelling devices or within the urinary tract itself (30). Enterococci (especially E. faecalis) are one of the main causative agents of urinary tract infection and Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) besides gram-negative pathogens (31, 32). In these infections Biofilm provides a favorable milieu for microbial survival within the host as the organisms are shielded from the host immune response, as well as antibiotics and antimicrobial agents (33, 34). Several studies conducted to introduce main virulence genes of enterococci that are associated with biofilm formation in these bacteria (11, 13,-17), but virulence mechanism and related genes for biofilm formation are not well understood (35). In this study we investigated biofilm formation of clinical enterococci isolates isolated from Urinary tract infections. These strains were characterized for presence of adhesions and secretory virulence factors. Isolates had diverse presence of virulence from lack to highest amount of virulence genes. Several previous studies investigated relation of virulence genes and biofilm formation, especially presence of esp and gel. Enterococci esp has been implicated as a contributing factor in colonization and persistence of infection within the urinary tract

Antibiotics have played a major role in our society thanks to Sir Alexander Fleming's careful observations in 1928. Without it, many lives would be in danger due to infectious diseases. Antibiotics are chemical substances produced by various species of microorganisms and other living systems that are capable in small concentrations of inhibiting the growth of or killing bacteria and other microorganisms. These organisms can be bacteria, viruses, fungi, or animals called protozoa. A particular group of these agents is made up of drugs called antibiotics, from the Greek word anti ("against") and bios ("life").

Biofilms are hard to treat for many reasons. The main reason is because they are highly resistant to antibiotics. This is because the outer cells protect the inner cells from the antibiotic. Therefore, a long-term treatment of antibiotics is required to help the biofilm related infection. Living in groups, give bacteria properties they didn't have when living alone. Another reason they're hard to treat is because they are undefeatable by the body's natural immune defense system. Biofilms avoid chemical disinfection in two different ways. The first is that a gel-like polysaccharide layer provides a physical barrier against any outside agent, biological or chemical. The second is that even if a biocidal agent is introduced in a large enough quantity to eliminate the living bacteria, then