Bacteria that grow as aggregates in biofilms, in contrast to planktonic bacteria, are significantly more resistant to most antibiotics and microbicides. Chronic infections with such biofilms — for example, on implants, wounds and in the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis — pose a serious medical problem. In this Review, Bjarnsholt and colleagues discuss the biological properties of biofilms and how these can inform the development of drugs that are active against biofilm infections.
- Thomas Bjarnsholt
- Oana Ciofu
- Niels Høiby
