Polymicrobial interactions: impact on pathogenesis and human disease.
Microorganisms coexist in a complex milieu of bacteria, fungi, archaea, and viruses on or within the human body, often as multifaceted polymicrobial biofilm communities at mucosal sites and on abiotic surfaces. Only recently have we begun to appreciate the complicated biofilm phenotype during infection; moreover, even less is known about the interactions that occur between microorganisms during polymicrobial growth and their implications in human disease. Therefore, this review focuses on polymicrobial biofilm-mediated infections and examines the contribution of bacterial-bacterial, bacterial-fungal, and bacterial-viral interactions during human infection and potential strategies for protection against such diseases.
Graduate Program in Life Sciences, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Program, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Brian M
BM
Peters
Mary Ann
MA
Jabra-Rizk
Graeme A
GA
O'May
J William
JW
Costerton
Mark E
ME
Shirtliff
D001419:Bacteria / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005658:Fungi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology