Biofilm Busters

What are Biofilms?

Mysterious Infection

In 1994, a mysterious bacterial infection struck hundreds of asthmatics throughout the U.S.; over 100 people died. The reason was finally  discovered: they had all used the same albuterol inhalant. Although the manufacturer’s albuterol tank had been properly disinfected, they found a particular species of bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, freely floating in it.

Pseudomonas is notorious for forming biofilms — clumps of sticky slime which house bacteria — that resist chemical disinfectants as well as the immune system and antibiotics.

Resistant To Disinfection

The deadly outbreak spawned over 50 court claims. The plantiffs called in William Costerton, the director of the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University in Bozeman and one of the few experts on biofilms, who testified that asthmatics breathing in pieces of biofilm from the contaminated inhalant would easily become infected with Pseudomonas, which commonly causes pneumonia. For anyone unfortunate enough to breathe in a biofilm, the biofilm bacteria have almost a 100% chance of survival in the lungs.

It was not the first time biofilms had a spotlight in high-profile cases. Costerton has testified in court about the presence of biofilms causing problems elsewhere, for example, on intrauterine devices (IUDs).

99% of Bacteria Make Biofilms

These court cases highlight the widening gap in how researchers generally view the microbial world. Microbiologists have traditionally researched only free-floating, individual bacteria growing in laboratory cultures.

But in the real world, 99% of all microbial activity is in an open ecosystem using biofilms. In the natural world and in your body, most bacteria aggregate within big clumps of biofilms in which they behave very differently than single, isolated bacteria. “Microbiologists have been barking up the wrong tree since the time of Pasteur,” says Costerton.

Biofilms: They’re Everywhere!

Biofilms, once considered odd curiosities, are now one of the hottest topics in microbiology. Biofilms occur everywhere: dental plaque is one the most common biofilms that decay teeth, other biofilms can clog water pipes, others can contaminate almost any medical device inserted into the body, ranging from contact lenses to catheters and artificial hearts. Anerobic bacteria in biofilms can reduce sulfur to hydrogen sulfide and burn holes in pipes. Aerobic bacteria can corrode metals by oxidation.

On computer chips, biofilms can serve as conductors and interfere with electronic signals. “I have called biofilm-induced corrosion the veneral disease of industry,” says biofilm pioneer David C. White, executive director of the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Their Own Little World

The renegade bacteria in biofilms bind together in a sticky web of tangled polysaccharide fibers. The biofilms, with their bacterial nests, connect across cells with sticky strands and anchor them to other surfaces. Within this microcosm, both anerobic and aerobic bacteria can thrive side by side, sharing water and nutrient passageways.

Like a circulatory system, water flows in convective patterns through the channels which deliver nutrients and eliminate waste. Some microbes release hydrogen while others ingest it in order to reduce CO2 to methane. Still others dine on dead cells.

Within their little biofilm cities, the bacteria can thrive and multiply without harm. The sticky polysaccharide coat of the biofilm is “like a coat of armor,” says White, which allows different types of bacteria to “collaborate to make themselves more powerful.”

The Biofilm Colony

By 1990, researchers confirmed that biofilm bacteria are morphologically and metabolically distinct from free-floating bacteria.

So what we studied in school is not how bacteria really work. Any bacterium can form a biofilm once it is able to find a surface to stick. Slamming up against a hard surface sets off a genetic cascade in the bacteria that turns on specific genes to make sticky polysaccharides and other substances to establish the biofilm colony. Even bacteria that have been floating for a long time in a test tube will stick somewhere, if given the chance.

White Cell Attack
Biofilms are huge blobs compared to small white cells. White blood cells typically are about 15 micrometers in diameter. They can track down and engulf free-floating bacteria of one micrometer or so, but white cells choke on biofilms which can reach up to 100 micrometers in diameter. Some bacteria are better than others at forming biofilms. When biofilm aggregates are large enough, they can congest organs, glands, and air and blood passageways; ultimately they can kill humans.

The biofilms protect the bacteria from antibiotics. “The resistance of these biofilms to antibiotics is phenomenal,” says Costerton, although researchers are unsure why. Preliminary evidence suggests that different bacteria within a biofilm can
trade genes — possibly including genes for antibiotic resistance.

But antibiotics are becoming outdated as fast as companies can make them (with more and more microbes are becoming antiobiotic resistant daily). A new, more effective and nontoxic approach is needed.

Revolutionary Biofilm Dissolvers
Researchers are finding new creative ways to dissolve biofilms in order to get at and then kill the bacteria inside. Many Super Nutrients such as turmeric, neem oil, reishi and many more can readily dissolve the biofilms. Clinical experience has shown that they can help clear many types of infection, including tooth-related problems. Super Nutrients can help clear infections found in the gums, parotids, lymphatic chains in the neck, thyroid, stomach and intestines.

First things first. Before undergoing detoxification with Super Nutrients, be sure you have good mineral balance first. Good mineral balance is reflected by a first morning urine pH between 6.4 to 7.0. If your pH is very acid (below 6.0), work on establishing better mineral balance by taking appropriate amounts of highly ionized coral minerals from Japan along with a good vitamin D source (such as U.S.P. grade cod liver oil or mycelial extracts of medicinal mushrooms rich in pro-vitamin D).

Remarkable Results

One well-known clinical nutritionist has seen many beneficial results using Super Nutrient biofilm busters in his clinical practice. For example, the chronic tooth pain of one person quickly cleared with neem oil applied locally to the tooth. Much chronic tooth pain or sensitivity is often due to underlying infection.

He has also seen great results with external application. When essential oils such as orange essential oil is massaged into the neck area, he often finds an immediate loosening of tight muscles with an immediate increase in range of motion.

Breaking down biofilms with Super Nutrients so the bacteria inside can be easily killed, may be one of the greatest health discoveries of this century.

Potera, C., “Biofilms Invade Microbiology,” Science, Vol. 273, Sept 27., 1996.

See IEDP Web page for more information on biofilms: Resource library, Biofilm Systems Training Lab, etc.: http://www.erc.montana.edu/
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