Phenotypes selected during chronic lung infection in cystic fibrosis patients: implications for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infections
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review
During chronic lung infection of patients with cystic fibrosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa can survive for long periods of time under the challenging selective pressure imposed by the immune system and antibiotic treatment as a result of its biofilm mode of growth and adaptive evolution mediated by genetic variation. Mucoidy, hypermutability and acquirement of mutational antibiotic resistance are important adaptive phenotypes that are selected during chronic P. aeruginosa infection. This review dicsusses the role played by these phenotypes for the tolerance of biofilms to antibiotics and show that mucoidy and hypermutability change the architecture of in vitro formed biofilms and lead to increase tolerance to antibiotics. Production of high levels of beta-lactamase impairs penetration of beta-lactam antibiotics due to inactivation of the antibiotic. In conclusion, these data underline the importance of biofilm prevention strategies by early aggressive antibiotic prophylaxis or therapy before phenotypic diversification during chronic lung infection of patients with cystic fibrosis.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Journal | F E M S Immunology and Medical Microbiology |
Volume | 65 |
Issue number | 2 |
Pages (from-to) | 215-225 |
Number of pages | 11 |
ISSN | 0928-8244 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2012 |
- Anti-Bacterial Agents, Biofilms, Chronic Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Humans, Lung, Phenotype, Pseudomonas Infections, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Selection, Genetic, beta-Lactams
Research areas
ID: 49278578