Staphylococcus aureus biofilm

The pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus bacterium can, just as other bacteria, end up in the blood stream of patients with a wound or during the insertion of an intravenous catheter. In the blood stream the bacterium can attach to xenobiotic materials such as artificial valves or catheters. Bacteria can subsequently encapsulate in a matrix (biofilm) of self-produced mucus and blood components. The formed biofilm around the bacterium offers protection against the own immune system and against antibiotics. Bacteria in a biofilm are difficult to eliminate and they are responsible for regularly recurring infections. This research studied the effect of rifampicin and other biotics against biofilm and investigated how biofilm formation can be prevented. A preventive strategy is to provide artificial materials with a coating that is both antimicrobial and antithrombogenic. It turned out that applying silver-heparin coatings is a promising approach.