PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Probiotics as Therapeutic Tools against Pathogenic Biofilms: Have We Found the Perfect Weapon?

Microbiology Research, ISSN: 2036-7481, Vol: 12, Issue: 4, Page: 916-937
2021
  • 19
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 71
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 1
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    19
    • Citation Indexes
      19
  • Captures
    71
  • Social Media
    1
    • Shares, Likes & Comments
      1
      • Facebook
        1

Review Description

Bacterial populations inhabiting a variety of natural and human-associated niches have the ability to grow in the form of biofilms. A large part of pathological chronic conditions, and essentially all the bacterial infections associated with implanted medical devices or prosthetics, are caused by microorganisms embedded in a matrix made of polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids. Biofilm infections are generally characterized by a slow onset, mild symptoms, tendency to chronicity, and refractory response to antibiotic therapy. Even though the molecular mechanisms responsible for resistance to antimicrobial agents and host defenses have been deeply clarified, effective means to fight biofilms are still required. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), used as probiotics, are emerging as powerful weapons to prevent adhesion, biofilm formation, and control overgrowth of pathogens. Hence, using probiotics or their metabolites to quench and interrupt bacterial communication and aggregation, and to interfere with biofilm formation and stability, might represent a new frontier in clinical microbiology and a valid alternative to antibiotic therapies. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the experimental and therapeutic applications of LAB to interfere with biofilm formation or disrupt the stability of pathogenic biofilms.

Bibliographic Details

Gabriele Meroni; Simona Panelli; Gianvincenzo Zuccotti; Dario Pistone; Claudio Bandi; Lorenzo Drago

MDPI AG

Immunology and Microbiology; Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Medicine

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know