Biofilm Infections--A Major Challenge in Medicine
One of the greatest challenges of our times is the complete eradication of infections from the body. Although acute infections have been taken care of, more or less, with antibiotics, the usage of this class of drugs, unfortunately, has promoted the emergence of persistent, chronic infections, in addition to the classical conferment of drug resistance.
Biofilms are slime, formed in response to 'environmental' stress of various types, such as the immune system, nutritional stress, antibiotics or other toxicants, as a means to survival.
They are composed of a self-assembled extracellular matrix of microbial polymeric carbohydrates, proteins, ribonucleic acid(DNA), fats, in addition to host proteins like fibrin, as well as minerals, and the pathogen. In addition, lipase is secreted, and it helps launch channels(porins) in the host membrane. Biofilms are tough to break or for the immune system and antibiotics to penetrate, hence the difficulty to treat infections in the plaque. And organisms that cannot or will not produce them may benefit from the largesse of existing biofilms assembled by microbes that make them, hence co-infections get transmitted in biofilms. Such partnership occurs between mycoplasma, a biofilm-producer and HIV, a beneficiary. Biofilms provide a good protective reservoir(safe haven) for infectious microbes.
The organism lives in a community or colony. Biofilm occurs in bacteria, fungi and viruses, alike. There are channels within the biofilm that allow the passage of nutrients and disposal of wastes. The outer layer of a biofilm contains, more or less, dormant microbial cells, while the more active, motile cells, with flagella, attach themselves via pili or fimbriae to a fixed(stationary) medium beneath. Typically, the microbe in the sessile form(within the biofilm) is in a renegade form-- with little cell wall and outer membrane proteins--when compared to the planktonic form of the organism. Hence, these rod-shaped bodies that can glide escape immunological surveillance, for the most part. Vaccination attempts against such infections may prove futile. However, microbes within biofilms have porin(a water pore made of barrel-shaped proteins) in the outer cell membrane for the passage of nutrients, disposal of wastes and for signaling. They are intracellular and dormant, during latency, and may come out, on the trigger of stress, to wreak havoc on the body or become phagocytized in some optimal nutrient-state of the cell.
Biofilms are formed following quorum(critical number) sensing and in response to pressure. Cyclic peptides, have been implicated, in some cases, in the signal transduction. Porin is required. When microbes die, porin is released as toxin and promotes apoptosis in the host, through calcium entry into the cell, and the generation of free radicals. In large quantities, inflammation takes place as phagocytosis is aborted. Curli amyloid,found in the outer matrix, promotes the opening of inserted porins in the host cell membrane, further aggravating the conferred porin-effect. Soluble prefibrillar amyloid may also form porin-like pores in cell membranes. Hydrogen peroxide, through cross-linking may contribute to the amorphous fibrillar amyloid. Curli generate inflammation--when phagocytosis is overwhelmed--usually in the form of granuloma.
Biofilms grow by cell division and by recruitment of readymade colonies, hence lesions coalesce to form even bigger ones. Some biofilm may break away and disperse to form new colonies elsewhere.
Biofilms are found in cysts or abscesses(with capsules of cross-linked matrix of the outer layer, by, say, hydrogen peroxide), in granuloma(enclosed in epithelium-type macrophages, giant cells and lymphocytes), which may additionally contain goblet cells that secrete mucus to allay irritation, or may be fossilized(perimineralized).
Due to the long course and chronic nature of inflammation, that biofilm runs, tissue degeneration usually occurs and aging will be promoted.
Essential oils penetrate and destabilize the microbial membrane in biofilms, killing the organism. A good immune system will take care of the toxins. Phagocytosis is aided by zinc, cumin, and vitamin D. Taurine, glycine form adducts with amyloid for excretion. Jarisch-Herxheimer-type reaction can be tamed with anti-inflammatories.
Nitric oxide disperses the biofilm and makes it easier for a fit immune system to take good care of; hydrogen peroxide to a limited extent. Magnesium will counteract the calcium-fossilization effect. Blood thinners(cumin spice)will interfere with fibrin formation. Xylitol and erythritol inhibit the synthesis of polymeric carbohydrates, and this paves the way for the body's defense system to clear both the pathogen and the extracellular matrix in the biofilm.
Caffeine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, found in coffee, will open up blood vessels and the bile duct to allow excretion of the toxins during treatment.
Dr Oliver Verbe Birnso, MD
Biofilms are slime, formed in response to 'environmental' stress of various types, such as the immune system, nutritional stress, antibiotics or other toxicants, as a means to survival.
They are composed of a self-assembled extracellular matrix of microbial polymeric carbohydrates, proteins, ribonucleic acid(DNA), fats, in addition to host proteins like fibrin, as well as minerals, and the pathogen. In addition, lipase is secreted, and it helps launch channels(porins) in the host membrane. Biofilms are tough to break or for the immune system and antibiotics to penetrate, hence the difficulty to treat infections in the plaque. And organisms that cannot or will not produce them may benefit from the largesse of existing biofilms assembled by microbes that make them, hence co-infections get transmitted in biofilms. Such partnership occurs between mycoplasma, a biofilm-producer and HIV, a beneficiary. Biofilms provide a good protective reservoir(safe haven) for infectious microbes.
The organism lives in a community or colony. Biofilm occurs in bacteria, fungi and viruses, alike. There are channels within the biofilm that allow the passage of nutrients and disposal of wastes. The outer layer of a biofilm contains, more or less, dormant microbial cells, while the more active, motile cells, with flagella, attach themselves via pili or fimbriae to a fixed(stationary) medium beneath. Typically, the microbe in the sessile form(within the biofilm) is in a renegade form-- with little cell wall and outer membrane proteins--when compared to the planktonic form of the organism. Hence, these rod-shaped bodies that can glide escape immunological surveillance, for the most part. Vaccination attempts against such infections may prove futile. However, microbes within biofilms have porin(a water pore made of barrel-shaped proteins) in the outer cell membrane for the passage of nutrients, disposal of wastes and for signaling. They are intracellular and dormant, during latency, and may come out, on the trigger of stress, to wreak havoc on the body or become phagocytized in some optimal nutrient-state of the cell.
Biofilms are formed following quorum(critical number) sensing and in response to pressure. Cyclic peptides, have been implicated, in some cases, in the signal transduction. Porin is required. When microbes die, porin is released as toxin and promotes apoptosis in the host, through calcium entry into the cell, and the generation of free radicals. In large quantities, inflammation takes place as phagocytosis is aborted. Curli amyloid,found in the outer matrix, promotes the opening of inserted porins in the host cell membrane, further aggravating the conferred porin-effect. Soluble prefibrillar amyloid may also form porin-like pores in cell membranes. Hydrogen peroxide, through cross-linking may contribute to the amorphous fibrillar amyloid. Curli generate inflammation--when phagocytosis is overwhelmed--usually in the form of granuloma.
Biofilms grow by cell division and by recruitment of readymade colonies, hence lesions coalesce to form even bigger ones. Some biofilm may break away and disperse to form new colonies elsewhere.
Biofilms are found in cysts or abscesses(with capsules of cross-linked matrix of the outer layer, by, say, hydrogen peroxide), in granuloma(enclosed in epithelium-type macrophages, giant cells and lymphocytes), which may additionally contain goblet cells that secrete mucus to allay irritation, or may be fossilized(perimineralized).
Due to the long course and chronic nature of inflammation, that biofilm runs, tissue degeneration usually occurs and aging will be promoted.
Essential oils penetrate and destabilize the microbial membrane in biofilms, killing the organism. A good immune system will take care of the toxins. Phagocytosis is aided by zinc, cumin, and vitamin D. Taurine, glycine form adducts with amyloid for excretion. Jarisch-Herxheimer-type reaction can be tamed with anti-inflammatories.
Nitric oxide disperses the biofilm and makes it easier for a fit immune system to take good care of; hydrogen peroxide to a limited extent. Magnesium will counteract the calcium-fossilization effect. Blood thinners(cumin spice)will interfere with fibrin formation. Xylitol and erythritol inhibit the synthesis of polymeric carbohydrates, and this paves the way for the body's defense system to clear both the pathogen and the extracellular matrix in the biofilm.
Caffeine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, found in coffee, will open up blood vessels and the bile duct to allow excretion of the toxins during treatment.
Dr Oliver Verbe Birnso, MD
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