Abstract

CEFTRIAXONE INCREASES THE THICKNESS OFESCHERICHIA COLIBIOFILM

Heba Khaleel Tawfeeq*, Ahmed Mahmoud Husein and Harith Jabbar Fahad Al-Mathkhury

Abstract

The term ‘biofilm’ was described in 1978 by Costerton.[1] It is clear that biofilm formation is part of the normal growth cycle of most bacteria. A biofilm can be defined as a sessile community, surfaceassociated microorganism characterized by cells that are irreversibly attached to a living ornonliving substratum to form a multilayered cell clusters that embedded in a matrix of extracellular polysaccharide (slime), that they have produced, which facilitates the adherence of these microorganisms to the surfaces and protect them from host immune system and antimicrobial therapy.[2-4] Biofilm formation is therefore a major problem in many fields, ranging from industrial corrosionandbiofouling to chronic and nosocomial infections.[5] Hence this work aimed to investigate the resistance of E. coli biofilm cells to one of the third generation cephalosporin; ceftriaxone in comparison to planktonic cells. Although that, certain antimicrobial agents could significantly reduce the biofilm layer.[6] These effects appear to depend on the particular strain and antimicrobial agent under investigation. For instance, certain levels of antibiotic were shown to increased biofilm formation. The impact of Ceftriaxone on biofilm was investigated and it was found that the biofilm of E. coli has increased with the increase of Ceftriaxone minimum inhibition concentration.

Keywords: Biofilm, Ceftriaxone, Minimuminhibitory concentration, Uropathogenic E.coli, Cephalosporin, Sewage.