Biofilms as the Culprit for Chronic, Resistant Infections?
Biofilms as the Culprit for Chronic, Resistant Infections?
Biofilms are known as a sticky matrix of debris in the body that can envelop bacteria and viruses. While under this sticky matrix, bacteria by enlarge become dormant. Biofilms are resistant to conventional antibiotic therapy because they are not a living organism with a reproductive phase. Antibiotics are also ineffective along because the drugs can not reach the enveloped bacteria and effect its reproductive phase.
Biofilms are linked to chronic inflammation and infection that may virtually effect all organ systems in the body from periodontal disease to leaky gut, chronic lung, bon and sinus infections and more!
Research by Eva Sapi from the University of New Haven has shown Borrelia spirochetes, the culprit for Lyme disease, also develop and hide in a dormant phase within biofilms suggesting that this is why we see chronic Lyme and tickborne diseases.
Ideally when dealing with resistant and/or chronic infections and illnesses, coupling antibiotic therapy with a biofilm protocol may help to eradicate the infection.
Several nutraceutical companies have developed anti-biofilm compounds that work by disrupting the sticky matrix allowing treatment to attack the underlying dormant bacteria and viruses.
Examples of Biofilm “busters”:
Whole leaf stevia drops by Nutramedix
Biocidin LSF by Biobotanical Research
Biodisrupt from Researched Nutritionals
Chlorella
Garlic- Allimed
Cinnamon
Clove
Oregano oil
Andrographis
L-Arginine
N-acetylcystine esp for respiratory infections
Curcumin
Ginger
Sacchromyces
Enzymes like serrapeptase, amalayse, lumbrokinase
If you suffer from chronic inflammation or infections perhaps biofilms are the culprit and you should seek out your experienced integrative provider😊
As always, more fun leisurely reading below!
Be Well,
Somer
REFERENCES:
Bjarnsholt T. (2013). The role of bacterial biofilms in chronic infections. APMIS. Supplementum, (136), 1–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/apm.12099
Jakobsen, T. H., Bjarnsholt, T., Jensen, P. Ø., Givskov, M., & Høiby, N. (2013). Targeting quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms: current and emerging inhibitors. Future microbiology, 8(7), 901–921. https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb.13.57
Høiby, N., Ciofu, O., Johansen, H. K., Song, Z. J., Moser, C., Jensen, P. Ø., Molin, S., Givskov, M., Tolker-Nielsen, T., & Bjarnsholt, T. (2011). The clinical impact of bacterial biofilms. International journal of oral science, 3(2), 55–65. https://doi.org/10.4248/IJOS11026
Rybtke, M., Hultqvist, L. D., Givskov, M., & Tolker-Nielsen, T. (2015). Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Infections: Community Structure, Antimicrobial Tolerance and Immune Response. Journal of molecular biology, 427(23), 3628–3645. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2015.08.016
Nowak, M., & Barańska-Rybak, W. (2021). Nanomaterials as a Successor of Antibiotics in Antibiotic-Resistant, Biofilm Infected Wounds?. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 10(8), 941. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10080941
Weeks, J. R., Staples, K. J., Spalluto, C. M., Watson, A., & Wilkinson, T. (2021). The Role of Non-Typeable Haemophilus influenzae Biofilms in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 11, 720742. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.720742
Josephs-Spaulding, J., Krogh, T. J., Rettig, H. C., Lyng, M., Chkonia, M., Waschina, S., Graspeuntner, S., Rupp, J., Møller-Jensen, J., & Kaleta, C. (2021). Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: Unraveling the Complicated Environment of Uncomplicated rUTIs. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 11, 562525. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.562525
Sapi, E., Balasubramanian, K., Poruri, A., Maghsoudlou, J. S., Socarras, K. M., Timmaraju, A. V., Filush, K. R., Gupta, K., Shaikh, S., Theophilus, P. A. S., Luecke, D. F., MacDonald, A., & Zelger, B. (2016). Evidence of in vivo existence of Borrelia biofilm in borrelial lymphocytomas, European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology EuJMI, 6(1), 9-24. Retrieved Sep 1, 2021, from https://akjournals.com/view/journals/1886/6/1/article-p9.xml
