Biofilms

Biofilms are ubiquitous. Their role in chronic infections in mainstream. Biofims have been found in chronic sinusitis, chronic ear infections, chronic skin and bone infections, kidney stones and many other clinical scenarios.In these other diseases biofilms can be readily identified because the occur on surfaces. The existence of biofilms in Lyme disease is more difficut to establish because of infection within deeper, inaccessible tissues. It is commonly cited that biofilms may play a role in up to 80%of human infections.

Biofilms are indeed complex structures. Previously freely motile bacteria become frozen in a gel-like matrix due to the result of complex molecular and genetic swiching. The organisms within these films are able to communicate and establish a social network. Frequently these bacteria go into a starvation mode and exhibit a very low metabolic rate. Biofilms may release motile bacteria when enviromental factors become favorable. Biofilms may be polymicrobial or consist of a single organism. Biofilms have been cited as a mechanism by which opportunistic germs, eg Pseudomonas, can become pathogenic. Bacteria turn out to be very clever little fellows, after all, they have been on the earth for 3.5 billion years. Biofilm fossils have been uncovered evincing their antiquity.

Bacteria within these biofilms are difficult to kill. They exist in a highly protected niche. They frequently become extremely resistant to antibiotics and destruction through normal immune responses.

Antibiotics such as Beta-lactams (penicillins and cephalosporins) are generally ineffective because these cell wall inhibitors work only when bacteria are rapidly dividing or remodelling their cell walls. Biofilm bacteria are frequently in a state of suspended animation.

The biological characteristics of biofilm contained bacteria quickly begin to resemble those attributed to cystic forms of Borrelia burdorferi (Lyme). Both have a slow metabolic rate and are not typically killed by Beta-lactams, except for the amoxicillin paradox described in my last blog.

One could postulate that antibiotics which are effective against cyst forms of Lyme could also be effective against biofilm forms.

Some have been very critical of Dr. Sapi's work. She has developed "biofilm like" colonies which she does not define. These are not the same thing as actual biofilms which develop within infected tissues.

There are no published studies (in peer reviewed journals) documenting the existence of Lyme biofilms let alone which treatments might be effective.

When you Google the words Lyme and Biofilm it inevitably leads you to MacDonald and Sapi. MacDonald's work is fascinating but unpublsihed or vallidated by other investigators. It also is unhelpful from a clinical perspective.

In the meantime, my patients tell about earthworm extracts, mushroom extracts and a variety of other enzymes. I have found no compelling reasons to believe that any of these treatments would be effective.

At this point we are left at the same place we were two years ago. Lyme may persist because of many mechanisms. The contribution of biofilms remains unknown. Treatments (from the perspective of my allopathic mind) should be rational and based on what we do know from the the science at hand and what we have garnered from clinical experience.

It appears that Lyme infection within the brain is frequently manifested through biofilms and atypical cystic, granular/pleomorphic forms of the organism.

I only discus patient cases after I have recieved their consent. (Some have questioned this)

I have continued to treat patients with severe encephlopathic neuroborreliosis including some diagnosed with premature Alzheimer's disease.

My clinical experiences have been consistent. The addition of IV Flagyl has been very effective for such patients. Perhaps this relates to mechanisms alluded to above.