Biofilms

“Scientists Learning to Target Bacteria Where They Live,” an article in Washington Post by Kari Lydersen, recently drew attention to bacterial biofilms:

In the arms race between humans and bacteria, the ability to form “biofilms”—large aggregations of microbes embedded in a slimy matrix—has been one of the weapons the organisms use to defeat the immune system, antibiotic drugs and other threats. But scientists, who only recently recognized the role that biofilms play in antibiotic resistance, may be closing in on promising prospects for defeating pathogens.

Scientists have learned that bacteria that are vulnerable when floating around as individual cells in what is known as their “planktonic state” are much tougher to combat once they get established in a suitable place—whether the hull of a ship or inside the lungs—and come together in tightly bound biofilms. In that state, they can activate mechanisms like tiny pumps to expel antibiotics, share genes that confer protection against drugs, slow down their metabolism or become dormant, making them harder to kill.

The answer, say researchers, is to find substances that will break up biofilms.

Interdisciplinary works on microbial biofilms are classed in 579.1782 Ecological communities of microorganisms, fungi, algae (built with 579.17 Ecology, organisms characteristic of specific environments plus 82 from 577.82 Ecological communities, according to instructions at 579.171–579.178 Specific topics in ecology, specific environments).  The number 579.1782 is a subdivision of the interdisciplinary number for microbiology: 579 Microorganisms, fungi, algae.  The number 579 has the note “Class here microbiology” and the unsubdivided Relative Index entry “Microbiology.”  An example of a work classed in 579.1782 is Community Structure and Co-operation in Biofilms.

Interdisciplinary works on bacterial biofilms are classed in 579.31782 Ecological communities of prokaryotes (built with 579.3 Prokaryotes, which has the notes: “Variant names: Monera, Schizomycetes, Schizophyta, bacteria” and “Class here bacteriology,” plus 17 from 579.17 Ecology, organisms characteristic of specific environments, following the footnote instruction at 579.3 to add as instructed under 579.2–579.8 Specific taxonomic groups of microorganisms, fungi, algae, plus 82 from 577.82 Ecological communities).

Comprehensive medical works on microbial biofilms are classed in the comprehensive number for medical microbiology:  616.9041 Medical microbiology.  The number 616.9041 has the Relative Index entry “Microbiology—medicine.”  Under 616.9041 is the note: “Class here drug resistance in microorganisms.”   The number was built with 616.904 Special topics of communicable diseases plus 1 from 01 Medical microbiology in the add table under 616.1–616.9 Specific diseases according to instructions under 616.904.  An example of a work classed in 616.9041 is Biofilms, Infection, and Antimicrobial Therapy.

Under 616.9041 Medical microbiology is the note:  “Class medical microbiology of a specific disease or group of diseases with the disease or group of diseases, plus notation 01 from table under 616.1-616.9, e.g., medical microbiology of tuberculosis 616.99501.”     Comprehensive medical works on bacterial biofilms are classed in 616.9201 Medical microbiology of bacterial diseases (built with 616.92 Bacterial diseases plus 01 Medical microbiology from table under 616.1–616.9 Specific diseases, following footnote instruction at 616.92 to add as instructed under 616.1–616.9).  An example of a work on bacterial biofilms classed in 616.9201 is Control of Biofilm Infections by Signal Manipulation.   

Comments

[Jay Smith]

Once again the Moderator needs to look at recent comments and delete spam. If a filter of some kind cannot be set up, it's going to be really hard to take this blog seriously.