IMMUNITY AND BACTERIAL BIOFILMS: CURRENT STATUS OF THE MATTER (LITERATURE REVIEW)

Abstract

The problem of prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in practical health care is one of the most difficult, unsolved and priority ones. At the same time, the fact of biofilm formation by microorganisms-causative agents of infectious diseases has already been proved, which leads to an increase in the resistance of pathogens of infectious-inflammatory diseases to antibacterial drugs, chronization of the infectious process, and an atypical course of the disease. The results of numerous studies have shown the relationship between the immune system and bacterial biofilms. The effect of the links of humoral and cellular immunity on the matrix of biofilms or some of its components has been described. Neutrophils, that play a key role in phagocytosis rank first in antibiofilm immunity. However, it has been shown that the polysaccharide matrix of biofilms reduces phagocytosis by inhibiting the phagocytic clearance of biofilm bacteria. Bacteria of biofilms have become able to use many protective reactions of the immune system, designed to fight with microorganisms for their own purposes for development, growth, nutrition. For example, lysozyme enhanced the adhesion of S. aureus to the surface, triggering biofilm formation. Several studies have shown the destruction of biofilms when exposed to blood serum. Other studies have demonstrated the activation of the complement system in the presence of biofilm.