Abstract
A biofilm is a layer of microorganisms attached to a surface and protected by a matrix of exopolysaccharides. Biofilm structures difficult the removal of microorganisms, thus the study of the type of structures formed throughout a biofilm life cycle is key to design elimination techniques. Also, the study of the inner mechanisms of a biofilm system is of the utmost importance in order to prevent harmful biofilms formation and enhance the properties of beneficial biofilms. This study must be achieved through the combination of mathematical modelling and experimental studies. Our work focuses on the study of biofilms formed by Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen bacteria, specially relevant in food industry. Listeria is highly resistant to biocides and appears in common food surfaces even after decontamination processes. Their biofilms can develop quite different structures, from flat biofilms to clustered or honeycomb structures. In the present work, we develop 1D and 2D models that simulate the dynamics of biofilms formed by different strains of L. monocytogenes. All this models are solved with efficient numerical methods and robust numerical techniques, such as the Level Set method. The numerical re sults are compared with the experimental measurements obtained in the Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, CSIC (Vigo, Spain), and the Micalis Institute, INRA (Massy, France).
Highlights
Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacteria responsible for outbreaks of listeriosis
Our work focuses on the study of biofilms formed by Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen bacteria, specially relevant in food industry
Having in view the experimental dynamics of the particular biofilm formed by the L1A1 L. monocytogenes strain, we start by considering the most successful 1D continuum model studied in the recent work [2]
Summary
Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacteria responsible for outbreaks of listeriosis. The main mode of transmission of this pathogen to humans is the consumption of contaminated food through contact with unhygienic work surfaces and facilities where L. monocytogenes can form biofilms [1]. In parallel to the experimental studies, the use of efficient mathematical models allows the prediction of the biofilm evolution for particular values of the involved parameters associated to different conditions. Having in view the experimental dynamics of the particular biofilm formed by the L1A1 L. monocytogenes strain, we start by considering the most successful 1D continuum model studied in the recent work [2]. Both models are solved numerically by applying efficient numerical techniques such as Crank-Nicolson schemes, WENO methods or the Level Set method [3,4]. Proceedings 2018, 2, 1182 numerical results that arise are compared with the experimental measurements obtained in the IIMCSIC (Vigo, Spain), and the Micalis Institute, INRA (Massy, France)
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