Cystic fibrosis
The cystic fibrosis lung is chronically inflamed and often infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is a major cause of illness and mortality.
Although aerosolization of Tobramycin (antibiotic) into the airway of patients improves outcomes, the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, even those receiving antibiotic therapy, are persistently colonised by P. aeruginosa. Recent studies suggest that the antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa in the lung is due to the formation of drug resistant biofilms.
Biofilms have also been known to cause infective endocarditis and pneumonia in those with cystic fibrosis.
Further reading on biofilms and cystic fibrosis
Moreau-Marquis, S., Stanton, B. A., & O’Toole, G. A. (2008). Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation in the cystic fibrosis airway. Pulmonary pharmacology & therapeutics, 21(4), 595–599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pupt.2007.12.001.
Niels Høiby, Oana Ciofu &Thomas Bjarnsholt. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in cystic fibrosis. Future Microbiology, Vol. 5, number 11, 2010. https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb.10.125
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