Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog

RECORD NUMBER: 209 OF 228

Main Title The Role of Biofilms in Device-Related Infections [electronic resource] /
Type EBOOK
Author Shirtliff, Mark.
Other Authors
Author Title of a Work
Leid, Jeff G.
Publisher Springer Berlin Heidelberg,
Year Published 2009
Call Number QR1-502
ISBN 9783540681199
Subjects Life sciences ; Immunology ; Emerging infectious diseases ; Microbiology ; Bacteriology
Internet Access
Description Access URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68119-9
Collation online resource.
Notes
Due to license restrictions, this resource is available to EPA employees and authorized contractors only
Contents Notes
Microbial Ecology of Human Skin and Wounds -- Infections of Orthopaedic Implants and Devices -- Biofilms and Aseptic Loosening -- Biofilms and Ventilation -- Biofilm Formation on Natural Teeth and Dental Implants: What is the Difference? -- Complicated Urinary Tract Infections due to Catheters -- Biofilms in Hemodialysis -- Bacterial Endophthalmitis Following Cataract Surgery -- Use of Immunodiagnostics for the Early Detection of Biofilm Infections -- Immune Responses to Indwelling Medical Devices. Approximately 60% of all hospital-associated infections, over one million cases per year, are due to biofilms that have formed on indwelling medical devices. Device-related biofilm infections increase hospital stays and add over one billion dollars/year to U.S. hospitalization costs. Since the use and the types of indwelling medical devices commonly used in modern healthcare are continuously expanding, especially with an aging population, the incidence of biofilm infections will also continue to rise. The central problem with microbial biofilm infections of foreign bodies is their propensity to resist clearance by the host immune system and all antimicrobial agents tested to date. In fact, compared to their free floating, planktonic counterparts, microbes within a biofilm are 50 - 500 times more resistant to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, achieving therapeutic and non-lethal dosing regimens within the human host is impossible. The end result is a conversion from an acute infection to one that is persistent, chronic, and recurrent, most often requiring device removal in order to eliminate the infection. This text will describe the major types of device-related infections, and will explain the host, pathogen, and the unique properties of their interactions in order to gain a better understanding of these recalcitrant infections.