Biofilm: A Secret Weapon in the Arsenal?

United they stand, divided they fall

“They” in our subtitle refers to a collection or group of harmful microorganisms that stick together for survival and offense. They adhere to a solid surface (alive, dead, or inanimate) and surround themselves with some sort of scaffolding or matrix called extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). EPS is more popularly known as slime. A harmful microorganism can be a virus, bacteria, fungi or parasite. What worries the experts, even more, is when all these kinds of microorganisms get along together in a biofilm. It’s like a structured community for bad microorganisms where each group has a specific purpose.

Biofilms can grow and thrive in a variety of environments. You can find them in nature, plants, animals, industrial structures, and more importantly, the human body. The last one is where they can do the greatest amount of damage. Microorganisms that float around in isolation behave differently than when they’re in a biofilm. They assume a more physiologically vicious and destructive attitude. They shift their mood and mode (fighting, not fun-loving).

Why do they form? There are a multitude of reasons. Notable reasons include: for their survival, to help them spread to other surfaces, because they need more nutrition, or when exposed to insufficient levels of antibiotics in your body. High dose, consistent intake of antibiotics can also help biofilms to persist and grow.

Note: Not all biofilms are destructive. They mostly become harmful when they’re in our bodies. Some biofilms can be collected and used in microbial fuel cells that produce electricity from the degradation of organic waste. Others are used to remove oil from contaminated oceans.

What Biofilms Do to Your Body

Biofilms help spread disease. An indispensable part of a biofilm life cycle is its spread to other surfaces. This guarantees another opportunity to colonise and victimise the next surface (another part of your body). An infection in your throat can continue in your lungs…thanks to biofilms. Enzymes produced in the slime matrix help in the process of dispersion to other locations. Remaining microorganisms that weren’t dispersed invite more harmful microorganisms as they pass by. Come join the party, they say.

Biofilms account for as much as 80% of infections that occur in your body. It’s a hard fact to swallow. The majority of chronic infections that happen in our bodies are surviving and spreading by way of biofilms. Here is a list of some of them:

Biofilms outsmart our immune system. Your immune system is used to signals coming from harmful microorganisms. When it perceives these signals, it recruits and sends its armies of immune cells towards the infection. Biofilms shield and disguise much of these signals allowing these harmful critters to set up more formidable hiding places.

Biofilms make the bacterial infections in your body resistant to antibiotics. This is very troublesome. In the last stage of biofilm formation, the community grows larger in size allowing it to withstand antibiotics given in a conventional fashion.

What You Can Do to Fight Biofilms

Don’t take antibiotics without the approval and prescription of your doctor. Talk to your doctor about pulsing low dose antibiotics to target the biofilm.
Arm your immune system. To get rid of an infection in your body, you need a strong immune system. You arm it with all the required nutrients. To avoid the unnecessary guesswork, take a multivitamin and mineral complex. Get some sleep too. Your immune system reboots itself while you sleep for 7 to 9 hours. That’s right. Switch off the telly…early.
Have regular medical checkups. Don’t wait for your body to get sick before you go to the doctor.
Get the latest info regarding anti-biofilm agents. Knowledge is still power when fighting biofilms. Your brain (or parts thereof that you use) is still mightier than a bacteria’s thinking cap. These agents include:
- Proteolytic enzymes (serrapeptases). These enzymes physically lyse the scaffolding of biofilms.
- Garlic. A potential cause of bad breath might just give you the smell and protection you need. Garlic contains ajoene, a sulphur containing compound. It inhibits the production of the slime found in biofilms.
- Hamamelitannin. Hamamelitannin is a willow bark extract capable of preventing harmful microorganisms found in biofilms from communicating (or gossiping) with each other.
- Flavonoids are potent antioxidants found in citrus fruits that also suppress communication between the talkative members of biofilms.
- Proanthocyanidins from cranberries have been found to prevent bacteria from sticking to surfaces and starting a violent community (biofilm).

The Slimy Truth about Biofilms

Biofilms are almost always detrimental to our bodies and anything they can latch themselves onto. They continue the life of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and other microorganisms. They ensure survival and continued spread of disease. It’s imperative that you prevent the formation and spread (when already formed) of biofilms as much as you can. Live a healthy lifestyle and get rid of the slimy killers and moochers inside you.