Microbial Biofilms Methods and Protocols
The discovery that most of the chronic infections in humans, including the oral, lung, vaginal and foreign body-associated infections, are biofilm-based, has prompted the need to design new and properly focused preventive and therapeutic strategies for th
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Gianfranco Donelli Editor
Microbial Biofilms Methods and Protocols
METHODS
IN
M O L E C U L A R B I O LO G Y
Series Editor John M. Walker School of Life Sciences University of Hertfordshire Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK
For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/7651
Microbial Biofilms Methods and Protocols
Edited by
Gianfranco Donelli Microbial Biofilm Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Editor Gianfranco Donelli Microbial Biofilm Laboratory Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS Rome, Italy
ISSN 1064-3745 ISSN 1940-6029 (electronic) ISBN 978-1-4939-0466-2 ISBN 978-1-4939-0467-9 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4939-0467-9 Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: 2014934151 © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Humana Press is a brand of Springer Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface Starting from the late 1970s, the biofilm’s pioneers Bill Costerton and Niels Hoiby have provided significant information on the ability of microorganisms to stick on biotic and abiotic surfaces and to build communities of cells closely interacting with each other within a self-produced exopolysaccharide matrix. However, only since the early 1990s it has been possible to observe, by a
