SynthesisMicrobiology spectrum2015
Antimicrobial Tolerance in Biofilms.
Synthesis in Microbiology spectrum, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 248 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
248 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effectiveness of oxidative therapies in mature oral biofilms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical oral investigations · 2026Pooled it
- How long do bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses retain their replication capacity on inanimate surfaces? A systematic review examining environmental resilience versus healthcare-associated infection risk by "fomite-borne risk assessment".Clinical microbiology reviews · 2024Pooled it
- An update on biofilms in acute and chronic wounds: Incidence, clinical evidence, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.Journal of internal medicine · 2026Review
- Self-generated hydrogel ejects bacterial cells for localized biofilm dispersion.Nature microbiology · 2026Article
- Eradication of catheter-associated MDR Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms mediated by novel phage encoded depolymerase activity.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2026Article
- Biofilm state transitions: quorum sensing inhibition and network destabilization.Applied microbiology and biotechnology · 2026Review
- Biting Down on Longevity: Correlating Microhardness, Nanoroughness, and Wear Resistance of Milled vs. 3D-Printed Dental Polymers.Polymers · 2026Article
- The Testing and Characterization of the Bacterial Response to Novel Lipid Ether Amine-Based Antibiotics.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Next-Generation Strategies to Encounter Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): From Lariocidin to Gene Editing and Nanotechnology-Based Approaches.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Emergence, evolution, and global dissemination of antimicrobial resistance: A One Health review.Archives of microbiology · 2026Review
- Linalool exhibits potent antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Article
- Epidemiological Study of the Relationship Between Antimicrobial Resistance Genes and Biofilm-Forming Capacity in Pathogens Causing Chronic Wound Infections.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- Synthesis of an Enzyme-Triggered Chitosan-Based Drug Delivery System for Peri-Implantitis Prevention.Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2026Article
- Detection to Disruption: A Comprehensive Review of Bacterial Biofilms and Therapeutic Advances.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- An Oxygen-Releasing Mouthwash Reduces Porphyromonas gingivalis Biofilm and Suppresses fimA and hagA Expression.International dental journal · 2026Article
- A nutrient bottleneck controls antibiotic efficacy in structured bacterial populations.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Correlation versus causation:mSphere · 2026Article
- A feasibility study of a novel closed flowing vacuum-assisted technique (CFVAT) in managing fracture-related infection with implant retention.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2026Article
- Development of Biocompatible Fatty Acid-Based Ionic Liquids for the Effective Topical Treatment of Periodontitis.ACS omega · 2026Article
188 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
Abstract
The tolerance of microorganisms in biofilms to antimicrobial agents is examined through a meta-analysis of literature data. A numerical tolerance factor comparing the rates of killing in the planktonic and biofilm states is defined to provide a quantitative basis for the analysis. Tolerance factors for biocides and antibiotics range over three orders of magnitude. This variation is not explained by taking into account the molecular weight of the agent, the chemistry of the agent, the substratum material, or the speciation of the microorganisms. Tolerance factors do depend on the areal cell density of the biofilm at the time of treatment and on the age of the biofilm as grown in a particular experimental system. This suggests that there is something that happens during biofilm maturation, either physical or physiological, that is essential for full biofilm tolerance. Experimental measurements of antimicrobial penetration times in biofilms range over orders of magnitude, with slower penetration (>12 min) observed for reactive oxidants and cationic molecules. These agents are retarded through the interaction of reaction, sorption, and diffusion. The specific physiological status of microbial cells in a biofilm contributes to antimicrobial tolerance. A conceptual framework for categorizing physiological cell states is discussed in the context of antimicrobial susceptibility. It is likely that biofilms harbor cells in multiple states simultaneously (e.g., growing, stress-adapted, dormant, inactive) and that this physiological heterogeneity is an important factor in the tolerance of the biofilm state.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.