Biofilm Development by Complex Clinical Isolates: Effect of Clarithromycin in Ultrastructure.

Background: The complex includes the commonest non-tuberculous mycobacteria associated with human infections. These infections have been associated with the production of biofilms in many cases, but there are only a few studies about biofilms produced by the species included in this group.

Methods: Three collection strains ( ATCC25291, ATCC13950, and DSM756), three clinically significant strains (647, 657, and 655), and three clinically non-significant ones (717, 505, and 575) of each species were included.

biofilms.

The genus includes some of the deadliest pathogens of History (), but most of the species within the genus are environmental microorganisms. Because some of these nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species can be human pathogens, the study of these mycobacterial biofilms has increased during the last decades, and the interest in this issue increased as well as the growing number of patients with diseases caused by NTM. Different molecular mechanisms have been described, being especially well known the importance of glycopeptidolipids.