Morphological aspects of microbial biofilm formation on atherosclerotic plaque fragments

Modern research indicates the presence of living bacteria in atherosclerotic plaques. However, the potential of microbes in the formation of biofilms in arterial plaques has not been studied. Purpose of the study. Identification of biofilms on fragments of arterial vessels with atherosclerotic plaques. Materials and methods. Fragments of atherosclerotic plaques isolated during coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with coronary artery disease were cultured in an exhaustive fluid system under anaerobic conditions in vitro for 1 or 14 days. The presence of biofilms was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. Results. Mixed biofilms, represented by rod-shaped bacteria and cocci, were identified after in vitro cultivation in all fragments of atherosclerotic plaques. The characteristic ultrastructure revealed the main stages of the biofilm life cycle. Conclusions. Modeling biofilms on biotic surfaces in a system of exhausted fluids under anaerobic conditions will allow us to study in detail the phenotype of biofilms and provide a significant understanding of the pathophysiology of infectious processes in blood vessels and atherosclerotic plaques. Key words: atherosclerotic plaque, chronic periodontitis, biofilm-forming microbes, periodontal pathogens, causative agents of nosocomial infections, fluid technology