Biofilms are structured groups of different bacterial species that are responsible for most chronic and recurrent infections. Biofilm-related infections reoccur in approximately 65-80% of cases. Bacteria associated with the biofilm are highly resistant to antibiotics. Knowledge of biofilm formation, its propagation and the resistance associated with it is scant and a multidisciplinary approach is followed to understand the science and develop strategies to address this problem. This article discusses the role of various biochemical factors, molecular mechanisms and altered host environment causes associated with bacterial resistance in biofilm. It also reveals the target sites and different multidisciplinary strategies adapted for destroying or preventing the formation of biofilms.
Keywords: Escherichia coli; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus; antibiotic resistance; biofilm; exopolysaccharide; gene transfer; oxidative stress; quorum sensing.