Biofilm formation in clinically relevant filamentous fungi: a therapeutic challenge.
Maryam RoudbaryRoya Vahedi-ShahandashtiAndré Luis Souza Dos SantosShahla Roudbar MohammadiPeyman AslaniCornelia Lass-FlörlCelia Fortuna RodriguesPublished in: Critical reviews in microbiology (2021)
Biofilms are highly-organized microbial communities attached to a biotic or an abiotic surface, surrounded by an extracellular matrix secreted by the biofilm-forming cells. The majority of fungal pathogens contribute to biofilm formation within tissues or biomedical devices, leading to serious and persistent infections. The clinical significance of biofilms relies on the increased resistance to conventional antifungal therapies and suppression of the host immune system, which leads to invasive and recurrent fungal infections. While different features of yeast biofilms are well-described in the literature, the structural and molecular basis of biofilm formation of clinically related filamentous fungi has not been fully addressed. This review aimed to address biofilm formation in clinically relevant filamentous fungi.