Biofilms can cause major complications in hospitalized patients. They can be difficult to detect and treat, so it’s important to understand how to control their occurrence. Traditional methods for biofilm control are much like the ways any other infection would be treated– using antibiotics. However, as you now know, biofilms by their very nature show increased resistance to traditional treatment. There are several cutting-edge treatment plans for biofilms, which target their adhesion, growth, and protection. The following studies detail these treatments: ● ‘Specific Antibody Can Prevent Fungal Biofilm Formation and This Effect Correlates with Protective Efficacy’ — Luis R Martinez & Arturo Casadevall, 2005 (doi: 10.1128/IAI/73/10/6350-6362.2005) ● ‘Quorum-sensing control in Staphylococci– a target for antimicrobial drug therapy?’ — Michael Otto, 2006 (doi: 10.1016/j.femsle.2004.11.016) ● ‘The transition metal gallium disrupts Pseudomonas aeruginosa iron metabolism and has antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity’ — Yukihiro Kaneko et al., 2007 (doi: 10.1172/JCI30783) ● ‘Rhamnolipids mediate detachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from biofilms’ — Blaise R Boles et al., 2005 (doi: 10.1111/j.1365.2958.2005.04743.x) Select one of the above articles (you should be able to access ALL of them in full through Texas State University– try finding them while using the campus WiFi to ensure you find the whole thing!) and summarise it thoroughly and clearly using LESS than 250 words. Your summary will be graded based on the following criteria: ❏ Introduction (1/5 of the credit): What is the importance of this study? What approach are these researchers taking to the problem? What is the magnitude of the problem? ❏ Methods (1/5 of the credit): How was the study performed? Was this study in vitro or in vivo? What was the control group? ❏ Results (1/5 of the credit): What was seen in the control group versus the treatment group? ❏ Discussion (1/5 of the credit): What is the significance of this study’s findings? How does this inform the treatment of infections? What next steps should be taken after this study? ❏ Citation (1/5 of the credit): Include a correct APA-style citation at the end of your summary. Your summary must demonstrate a cohesive understanding of the material. Do not use words you do not understand– learn what they mean first. Do not include direct quotes, as you are supposed to summarize, in your own words, what the article is about. If it appears that you do not understand what the article was about, or your summary exceeds the 250 word maximum, your summary will not count for extra credit.
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