1. Pathogenesis of catheter-related infections and factors influencing biofilm genesis.
Pathogenesis of catheter-related infections and factors influencing biofilm genesis. The image shows the three-step process of biofilm formation on the surface of an intravascular catheter, with rapid initial adhesion and attachment of CoNS microorganisms to the polymer foreign body surface resulting in a monolayer (1), followed by a prolonged accumulation phase which involves cell proliferation, intercellular adhesion processes, and maturation (2 and 3). (4) Finally, microorganisms may disaggregate from the macrocolony and drift into the bloodstream, resulting in metastatic and embolic complications.
Karsten Becker et al. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 2014; doi: /CMR