Biofilm, the challenge for longevity

Most health issues in the dairy industry have to do with biofilm forming bacteria. Most bacteria and algae which cause health issues are able to produce biofilm (Gomes et al, 2016). Biofilm formation is a microbial defence mechanism to ensure the survival of bacteria. A biofilm protects against antibiotics and immune cells, with adverse effects on animal health.

A deeper knowledge of biofilm in relation to animal health can help determine the most effective strategy to optimize it and avoid issues. At AHV, we are constantly researching how to make our products even more effective and deploy them against biofilm in our own laboratory.

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Biofilm in relation to antimicrobial resistance

Because of the dense polymeric matrix of biofilms, antibiotics penetration will be limited, with the result that a gradient will be formed under the bactericidal critical level, resulting in faster development of microbial resistance (Philip S. Stewart et al., 2002/ Niels Høiby et al., 2009). These subinhibitory concentrations of many antibiotics are able to enhance biofilm formation by pathogens (Kaplan, 2011). Therefore, approximately 80% of chronic and recurrent microbial infections in the body are due to bacterial biofilm. Microbial cells within biofilms have shown to be 10–1,000 times more antibiotic resistant than the planktonic cells (Abranches J., 2011).

Udder health challenges are one of the most important challenges in the dairy industry. Chronic biofilm infections are notoriously known to be difficult to eradicate with antibiotics and biofilm formation could be a possible explanation for mastitis cases that are not resolved by standard treatment (Pedersen et al., 2021).

Effect of AHV Quorum Sensing Inhibition (QSI) Technology on biofilm formation

AHV is at the forefront of new innovative solutions, which prevent and effectively tackle biofilm formation by natural means.

Current conventional methods, such as antibiotics, mainly work against planktonic bacteria (freeflowing bacteria) but are not effective against bacteria in a biofilm because they cannot or hardly penetrate it. Therefore, new natural molecules are being investigated that can solve this problem according to alternative mechanisms of action. One of these new mechanisms can be found in the role played by QS (Quorum Sensing) in biofilm formation. QS is one of the main signalling mechanisms of bacteria that directly contributes to biofilm formation. AHV’s patented QSI Technology, consisting of natural substances influence this process and can also easily penetrate the protective layer. Our natural agents, which include QQ (Quorum Quenching) components, disrupt the QS process. This prevents and disrupts biofilm formation.

AHV’s laboratory tested his patented technology on bacteria with the ability to produce biofilm. For both gram-positive as gram-negative bacterium AHV QSI Technology showed success by inhibition of biofilm formation (Figure 1). Due to the fact that biofilms often consist of multiple bacteria (Pedersen et al., 2021), AHV QSI Technology is an advantage against all bacteria and for multi species biofilms.

Peer reviewed results

AHV’s patented QQ components are tested by the RTI lab on bacteria selected from cows from the field with udder health issues on the prevention of biofilm formation. All the selected bacteria from the field showed the ability to produce biofilm. AHV’s patented QQ compound is tested in duplo (blue and orange line), on gram positive and gram negative bacteria on the effectiveness to prevent biofilm formation (figure 2 up to 5).

Result of tests show the ability that AHV’s patented QQ compounds can inhibit biofilm formation in field bacteria, for both gram positive bacteria as well as gram negative bacteria.