Prevalence of Mucosal Biofilm Formations in Adenoidectomy Specimens

Rationale: Bacterial biofilms are defined as an assemblage of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced glycocalyx matrix. Adherence on surfaces, and resistance to both antibiotic treatments and host defenses are ones of the major clinical features of bacterial biofilms. Hence, biofilm formations represent a serious clinical problem: they persist in human tissues and play a role in a large number of chronic and resistant infections. It has been estimated that more than 65% of all human bacterial infections involve biofilms. Recently, the investigators have demonstrated the presence of mucosal bacterial biofilms in adenoid tissues removed during routine adenoidectomy. Bacterial biofilms were visualized using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) with a technique of double staining showing both the bacterial cells and the glycocalyx matrix. Although this study clearly established that adenoids tissues can harbour mucosal biofilms, the prevalence of 54% the investigators found suggested that some groups of children may contain more biofilm formations than others. In an effort to relate the findings of mucosal biofilm with the clinical presentation, the investigators have designed the present work to compare the prevalence of mucosal biofilms in adenoidectomy specimens in two groups: one group of children with chronic otitis media (COM) with effusion versus another group of children without any COM, having adenoids removed for chronic obstruction.