A narrative review on bacterial biofilm: its formation, clinical aspects and inhibition strategies

Abstract Background The predominant mode of life of most of the bacteria is their biofilm state. Based on the type of bacteria existing within the biofilm, it might be beneficial or harmful. Its beneficial aspects have been exploited mostly in waste management strategies. These biofilms affected the food industry, dairy industry and oil industry, causing huge losses by food spoilage, reduced heat transfer efficiencies and corrosion caused by biofilms in pipelines. They were considered a crucial risk to human well-being. Biofilms were responsible for more than 75% of the clinical infections caused in humans. The main body of the abstract Biofilms are multimicrobial complex structures that are resistant to antibiotics and stressful environments. The biofilm stage may provide various advantages to the bacteria during bacterial infections in human beings. The extracellular polymeric substances hold the bacterial community colonized in the biofilm. The bacteria within the biofilm are more resistant to antibiotics, whereas the planktonic bacteria are susceptible to them. Quorum sensing regulated biofilm formation, which can be manipulated to eradicate devastating effects caused by biofilms. The occurrence of biofilm on the clinical devices leads to the malfunction of the implants and complicates the patients’ health conditions. Biofilms also cause non-device-associated health problems. The major anti-biofilm strategies are the utilization of enzymatic activity and hindrance of quorum sensing. The auto-inducers, which play a major role in quorum sensing, are mimicked by inhibitors. This prevents the binding of auto-inducers to the receptors, eventually leading to blockage of biofilm formation. Short conclusion The significant background knowledge regarding the biofilm, its formation, clinical aspects and inhibition strategies has been highlighted in this review. This information dissipated anticipates new applications of plant compounds as an alternative to antibiotics, since they may act as anti-quorum sensing molecules. For instance, inhibitory compounds like Linalool and eugenol from the essential oil of different plants displayed antibiofilm activity against biofilms formed by Streptococcus pyogenes and Porphyromonas gingivalis , respectively. Further research is required to exploit the inhibitory properties of the various other bioactive compounds present in plant extract, and thereby, we can protect human beings from several device and non-device-related infections caused by biofilms such as catheter-related bloodstream infections, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, dental caries and periodontitis.