FACT: More than 99% of bacteria are found, developed, and kept in biofilm communities and gives them a thousand times more resistance to antibiotic and antimicrobial agents, including the body’s immune system.
These bacteria living in biofilms are developing almost anywhere – from your own kitchen sink to water pipes and equipment surfaces in almost any commercial industry. Here are some facts surrounding biofilm production in commercial industries and medical institutions:
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recorded an estimated US$22 billion annual cost in foodborne illnesses among livestock and food processing. This does not include those lost in spoiled food products.
60%-70% of HAIs are connected with some kind of medical implants and other medical devices implanted in human and animal bodies.
As there is a US$180 billion annual production of biomedical devices, they are still susceptible to microbial infections and colonization as a result of biofilms and biofilm formation.
Catheters, as well as other hospital equipment, that are coated with antimicrobial or antibiofilm composition has prompted an innovative approach in clinical evaluation. Cleaning solutions with antibiofilm compounds and composites are also highly recognized and recommended by many medical practitioners.