Introduction to biofilms in family medicine.

The management of common infections in family medicine can be complicated by poor treatment response or infection recurrence. Bacteria can grow as free-floating, planktonic bacteria or complex communities called biofilms. Biofilms promote bacterial growth and diversity and offer unique environments, including both aerobic and anaerobic layers, to bacteria. Although most treatments are tested against planktonic bacteria grown in the laboratory, infections in patients usually are the more complex and difficult to treat biofilms. Biofilms offer bacteria enhanced resistance to antimicrobial therapies that may otherwise be effective against planktonic bacteria. In many cases, difficulty treating recurring and recalcitrant infections can be explained by the important role of biofilms.