Biofilm’s Function in Microbial Ecosystems and its Implications for Human Health

Biofilms are complex structures of microbial communities often including bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa, which are enclosed together with their secreted extracellular polymeric matrix. The resulting highly developed architectural structure offers a great survival advantage, allows more efficient metabolic cooperation among the different species, and helps the microorganisms to be less vulnerable to the environment. In human healthcare environments, biofilms represent major problems for people’s health, and the costs associated with them are very high. It is estimated that 30% of infections acquired in hospitals are related to biofilms. Most of these infections are caused by biofilms that are constantly contaminating hospital environments. Moreover, biofilms as long-lasting reservoirs for pathogens often lead to chronic infections and induce prolonged localized immune or allergic responses. Also, the host microenvironment influences the formation of these biofilms by determining the microbial distribution and the survival of microbial species. Understanding the complex interactions between biofilm architecture, metabolic synergy, and host features is the key to developing new ecological approaches aimed at sustainably managing pathogenic populations and their harmful effects.