The biogeography of polymicrobial infection

The spatial organization of microbial communities can affect their function, both in the environment and during infections. In this article, Whiteley and colleagues review the factors that govern biogeography during polymicrobial infections and how spatial positioning can influence bacterial virulence. They also discuss how targeting biogeography can be used as a therapeutic strategy. Microbial communities are spatially organized in both the environment and the human body. Although patterns exhibited by these communities are described by microbial biogeography, this discipline has previously only considered large-scale, global patterns. By contrast, the fine-scale positioning of a pathogen within an infection site can greatly alter its virulence potential. In this Review, we highlight the importance of considering spatial positioning in the study of polymicrobial infections and discuss targeting biogeography as a therapeutic strategy.