Biofilms are the thick, slimy layers formed on various surfaces by pathogenic microbes. These biofilms protect the micro-organisms against antibiotics, detergents and the attacks from the immune system. This happens because drugs and other antimicrobial compounds cannot penetrate the thick layer that shields the pathogens. This makes them difficult to kill. Increases of AMR in harmful micro-organisms such as MRSA and E. coli are a major public health concern, as they are leading to a huge increase in untreatable, life-threatening infections, especially in hospital environments.
Dr Georgios Efthimiou, a lecturer in microbiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Hull, said:
“The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that a lack of public awareness about basic microbiological aspects can often lead to outbursts of panic and anxiety. Such aspects include the differences between bacteria, fungi and viruses, their structure and functions, their ability to survive on surfaces and their main routes of transmission.