Biofilms: The Who, What, Where, Why, and How's

Antony Van Leeuwenhoek, the first microbiologist, initially saw bacteria in dental plaque, making him the first oral microbiologist and biofilm experimenter back in the 1600s. Biofilms form when bacteria adhere to surfaces and begin to excrete a slimy, glue-like substance that can anchor them to all kinds of material - such as metals, plastics, soil particles, medical implant materials, and tissue. A biofilm can be formed by a single bacterial species, but more often biofilms …

…tragedies. Oddly enough, Bacteria don't care where they form biofilms, they just want to colonize for survival and protection. Ultimately, it is up to humanity to identify the pathogenic types and identify ways to protect ourselves from them by answering the questions, Who, What, Where, Why and How. Works Cited http://www.erc.montana.edu/ http://www.biofilmsonline.com www.cda.org/member/pubs/journa... http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/dave_barry/