Chapter 12 - Biofilm formation and persister cells

Abstract

Biofilm formation and antibiotic tolerance are the two phenomenon associated with bacterial population responsible for multiple drug resistance. Bacterial biofilms are considered as an emergent form of bacterial life when they are organized in sessile aggregates embedded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. A small proportion of bacterial populations that modulate themselves metabolically to exhibit multidrug tolerance are known as persisters. By shutting down the targets or by metabolic slow down, this bacterial population may avert the attack of antimicrobials rather than by corrupting the target or by enzymatic inactivation of the antimicrobials as observed in antimicrobial resistance. In this chapter, we discussed on infection associated with biofilm and persister cells, particularly in medical devices – a serious concern to public health, mechanism of their development, different strategies to avert the development of biofilm formation and tolerant cells.