a.) What is a biofilm?
b.) Is implant sterilization sufficient to prevent bacterial infection following
implantation? Why or why not?
c.) Why are antibiotics useless when an implant is covered by a biofilm?
a. A biofilm comprises any syntrophic consortium of microorganisms in which cells stick to each other and often also to a surface. These adherent cells become embedded within a slimy extracellular matrix that is composed of extracellular polymeric substances.
b. No as many bacteria re normally present in and around the body which can be transformed into virulent strands on exposure to certain chemicals or materials.
c. In biofilms, poor antibiotic penetration, nutrient limitation and slow growth, adaptive stress responses, and formation of persister cells are the factors that contribute to antibiotic resistance.
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