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Microbe Manor
07 April 2015

Microbe Manor

After an infection, surfaces on the body can become the microbial equivalent of a building site. Some microbes have the ability to form biofilm: they stick to a surface and produce a structural material. Pictured are close ups – with increasing zoom from left to right – that show the microscopic holes where bugs can hide. These cultures are from bacteria that cause middle ear infection which were grown in a weak antibiotic solution. Biofilm shields the bacteria from antibiotics because subsequently these same cultures were able to withstand a lethal dose. The bugs are probably also sheltered from the immune system which means that later when conditions improve, they can emerge from the biofilm and start growing again. This is why young children often get recurrent ear infections. Researchers concluded that incomplete antibiotic treatment is likely to cause long-term problems, so doctors no longer treat earache with antibiotics.

Written by Julie Webb

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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