title: New frontiers for anti-biofilm drug development.
abstract: Pathogenic microbial biofilm, a consortium of microbial cells protected by a self-produced polymer matrix, is considered a worldwide challenge due to the inherent antibiotic resistance conferred by its lifestyle. Living, as it does, in a community of microbial organisms in a clinical situation, makes it responsible for severe and dangerous cases of infection. Combating this organisation of cells usually requires high antibiotic doses for a prolonged time, and these approaches often fail, contributing to infection persistence. In addition to therapeutic limitations, biofilms can be a source of infections when they grow in medical devices. The challenge imposed by biofilms has mobilised researchers in the entire world to prospect or develop alternatives to control biofilms. In this context, this review summarises the new frontiers that could be used in clinical circumstances in order to prevent or eliminate pathogenic biofilms.
authors.affiliation: S-Inova Biotech, Pos Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Suzana M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mário R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Felício
authors.affiliation: S-Inova Biotech, Pos Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Esther Vilas
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Boas
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabrício F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ramar Perumal
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Samy
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: S-Inova Biotech, Pos Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil. Electronic address: ocfranco@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Octávio L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Anti-biofilm peptides; Biofilms; Drug repurposing; Nanotechnology; Polymicrobial biofilm