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The graph at right, shows how
planktonic and biofilm cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
respond differently to exposure to chlorine. One difference that is
immediately obvious from this graph is that killing rates of cells
in the biofilm are always lower than those for planktonic bacteria.
A second difference is that increasing the concentration of chlorine
does more to improve the killing rate against biofilm bacteria than
it does for planktonic cells.
Practical Implications
CBE antimicrobial research has been motivated by the nearly
universal observation that microorganisms growing in biofilms are
less susceptible to all types of antimicrobial agents than the same
microorganisms when grown in conventional suspension cultures.
The practical suggestion that follows from this work is that
biofilms in industrial settings are most effectively treated with a
relatively high concentration of antimicrobial. A concentrated dose,
even if brief, will tend to be more effective than a prolonged
treatment of lower concentration.
The solution in medical biofilms is not so simple, however, since
the dose of antibiotic required to kill biofilm bacteria may be
high enough to kill the patient!
Why are biofilm cells less susceptible to killing?
Selected CBE Publications
Antimicrobials
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