Biofilms: A Cause Chronic Illness
You may not be familiar with the term "biofilm," but you have certainly encountered biofilm on a regular basis. The plaque that forms on your teeth and causes tooth decay is one type of bacterial biofilm. The "gunk" that clogs your drains is also biofilm. If you have ever walked in a stream or river, you have probably slipped on biofilm-coated rocks. They’re found in natural environments such as hot springs, rivers and streams, lakes, and tide pools, to man-made and industrial environments such as water and drainage pipes, sanitation systems, house-hold sinks, toilets, and showers, and even in the water tanks of nuclear power plants. Biofilms avidly colonize many household surfaces, including toilets, sinks, countertops, and cutting boards in the kitchen and bath. Poor disinfection practices and ineffective cleaning products may increase the incidence of illnesses associated with pathogenic organisms in the household environment. Biofilms f...