Definitions
Define Microorganisms
Very tiny organisms that can't be seen with the naked eye
How do biolfilms benefit aquatic life?
They can purify the water by removing harmful chemicals, improving water quality for marine life.
What are biofilms harmful to?
Medical devices, plants, water, and food
Where can you find biofilms (think simple)
Everywhere
Is Cystic Fibrosis an infection or a disease?
A disease
Define Biofilms
A complex three-dimensional structures that provide a long-established survival mechanism for microorganisms.
How do biofilms help protect crops?
By providing extra nutrients, sheilding plants from diseases.
Who are biofilms harmful to the most?
People with weakened immune systems (cystic fibrosis or chronic conditions, and patients with medical implants like catheters or artificial joints)
What is the best tool to observe biofilms?
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
What part of the body does Cystic Fibrosis affect?
Lungs, digestive system, and other organs
Define Pathogenesis
The development of a disease
How can biofilms be helpful to researchers and/medical field?
It can help them find crucial information for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against biofilm-related infections.
How can biofilms be harmful in the healthcare setting?
They can grow on medical devices and on living or dead tissues.
How biofilms contribute to making a person sick?
Biofilms can be the cause of sickness from the lungs, sinuses, and digestive infections to dental diseases
What are the symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis?
Coughing with thick mucus, repeated lung and sinus infections, and severe constipation
Define Microcolony
A small group of cells within a larger biofilm structure
How can biofilms be helpful to nature?
They are abundant and frequently occupy complex niches within ecosystems.
How do biofilms cause resistance to antibiotics?
The deep layer of cells is way less active, growing slowly or not growing at all, which makes them resistant to the antibiotics whose job is to kill very active bacteria.
How can biofilms cause a person to die?
When someone is dealing with an infection or disease, but it is discovered that the antibiotics aren't helping because of biofilms, then it can be deadly, because their life-saving medicine is ineffective.
What causes cystic fibrosis
Pseudomonas aeruginosa(chronic major life-threatening lung infection)
Define Cystic Fibrosis
It is a disease passed down in families that causes damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs in the body.
What can be used to treat biofilms?
antibiotics, degrading enzymes, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), curcumin, and topical antibiotics(external wounds)
How do biofilms affect reservoirs and water systems?
Biofilms can be harmful to water systems because of the microbial contamination, which reduces the disinfectant effectiveness by causing pipe corrosion and poorly affecting the water quality.
What is the multi-step process of biofilm formation? (4 steps)
Attachment, EPS (extracellular polymeric substances) production, Maturation, and Dispersal/Detachment
What are treatment options for cystic fibrosis?
There is no cure, but you can help reduce symptoms if needed by taking antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, mucus-thinning drugs, stool softeners, enzymes, and/or acid-reducing drugs.