Biofilm Testing
BluTest Laboratories - A Tentamus Company offers advanced biofilm testing services, covering an extensive range of biofilm-forming species, including clinical isolates. Our services provide clients with a validated high-throughput platform to assess the efficacy of antimicrobial compounds against microbial biofilms.
Why Test Against Biofilm?
Understanding the significance of biofilm testing is crucial for addressing microbial challenges effectively. Here's why testing against biofilms is essential:
- Prevalence and Complexity: Up to 90% of bacteria exist as biofilms in nature, comprising diverse combinations of bacteria, fungi, and yeast. These structured microbial communities form protective matrices that make them challenging to inhibit or disperse.
- Resistance to Antimicrobials: Biofilms exhibit significantly higher resistance to antimicrobial agents compared to planktonic bacteria. Their protective extracellular matrix and mutualistic relationships between species contribute to this resistance, posing challenges for traditional testing methods.
- Overestimation of Efficacy: Standard testing methods often use planktonic bacteria to assess the efficacy of antimicrobial compounds. However, biofilms have been shown to be markedly more resistant, leading to potential misjudgements in determining the concentrations of active compounds required to combat biofilm-associated infections.
By comprehensively evaluating antimicrobial efficacy against biofilms, organisations can develop targeted strategies to combat microbial challenges effectively. BluTest's advanced biofilm testing services offer a reliable platform for assessing the effectiveness of antimicrobial products and developing tailored solutions to address biofilm-related issues across various industries.
What we offer
ASTM E2871 – Disinfectant Efficacy Against Biofilms Grown in CDC-Reactor
- Assess the efficacy of biocidal products and compounds in the first standardised test method developed for testing biofilms. Biofilms are grown on substrates in a flow reactor under shear stress.
Sessile Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Assays (SMIC)
- Evaluate the inhibition or dispersal of biofilms post-treatment, providing crucial insights into antimicrobial efficacy.
Pre-clinical Multi-species Interkingdom Biofilm Models
- Utilise robust, reproducible biofilm models to support realistic antibiofilm efficacy assessment before clinical trials.
Kill Time Screening
- Determine the kill time for antimicrobial/anti-infective compounds against biofilms, ensuring timely and effective treatment.
Quantitative Compositional Analysis
- Analyse live and total numbers of each species within mixed-species biofilms over time during treatment, along with additional requested assays.
Biofilm Inhibition or Disruption Assay for Wound Dressings
- Offer established and validated biofilm inhibition or disruption assays tailored for wound dressings, ensuring optimal wound care.
Supporting Imaging Options
- Provide a range of imaging options, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to visualise biofilms and assess treatment effects accurately.
High-Quality Biofilm Testing Model
Our biofilm testing model, based on a reproducible 96-well plate-based method, is adaptable for different biofilm-forming microorganisms on 24, 96, and 384 well plates. Cell viability after treatment is measured using a reliable metabolic assay.
Bespoke Biofilm Models
In addition to standard testing, BluTest specialises in developing multi-species/interkingdom biofilm models tailored to various applications, providing customised solutions for specific needs. These have included models to simulate biofilms found in wounds, the oral cavity, and in the airways of patients with cystic fibrosis.
Feel free to contact us to discuss your project!