Chapter 11: Interactions of Bacteria and Fungi at the Surface

The increased life span of humans and the dynamic development of Biomaterials' industry have led to widespread use of implants in modern medicine. Microorganisms, mostly opportunistic flora,are able to adapt perfectly to the changing environment of their host. Bacteria, once regarded as non-pathogenic, successfully bind to artificial surfaces resulting in diseases that are difficult to treat. The Chapter discusses the process of microbial adhesion to the surfaces. It provides the brief description of the most important infections of humans, which result from the microbial colonization of implanted biomaterials. This adhesion is characterized in the context of physicochemical and biological interactions between microorganism and the surface. We describe the effects of environmental factors and the contribution of bacterial/fungal cell structures on microbial adhesion. Finally, the Chapter presents the most important aspects of interactions between bacteria and charged surfaces.