Polymicrobial interaction in biofilm: mechanistic insights

Abstract

Abstract Polymicrobial biofilm (PMBF) formation during multispecies infection is a serious threat growing worldwide. According to CDC, microbial biofilm infection covers more than 65% of total infection. In many diseases, their natural habitat does not have one causative agent because most of the species exist in coaggregation (such as in cystic fibrosis, otitis media, and dental caries) leading to PMBF. PMBF is a big problem in bacterio-fungal and interspecies bacterial diseases that developed during chronic illness and created a major health burden globally. This review focused on various aspects of PMBFs such as why they are forming PMBF arrangements, the significance of studying these biofilms, and the interaction between causative microbes. Also, we reviewed how these interactions and polymicrobial formations make biofilms more recalcitrant toward treatment. Understanding the mechanistic process behind these biofilm formations gives an insight into specific molecules, proteins responsible for their polymicrobial nature, which is likely to be very helpful in antimicrobial research.