On Jan 24, 8:55 pm, marlac...@hotmail.com wrote:

The article below suggests there is at least one group at Centre
Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal / McGill that must be
reasonably sophisticated in approach.  Perhaps you could contact one
of the authors of the paper and ask fror a referral.

Michael.

1: Am J Rhinol. 2007 Sep-Oct;21(5):527-32.Click here to read Links
   Methods for removing bacterial biofilms: in vitro study using
clinical chronic rhinosinusitis specimens.
   Desrosiers M, Myntti M, James G.

   Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal and McGill
University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

   BACKGROUND: Bacterial biofilms may be involved in refractory
chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).In vitro, we studied methods for removing
biofilms formed by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
METHODS: Bacterial isolates were obtained from patients with
refractory CRS and were plated and treated with either static
administration of citric acid/zwitterionic surfactant (CAZS), saline
delivered with hydrodynamic force, or CAZS delivered hydrodynamically.
Results were assessed by counting colony-forming units (CFUs) and by
confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM). RESULTS: All treatments
produced significant reductions in CFU counts (p >or= 0.002).
Hydrodynamic CAZS provided the greatest reduction, decreasing CFU
counts from control values by 3.9 +/- 0.3 logs and 5.2 +/- 0.5 logs
for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, respectively (99.9% reduction; p =
0.001). CSLM showed decreases in biofilm coverage. CONCLUSION:
Hydrodynamic delivery of a soap-like surfactant and a calcium-ion
sequestering agent may disrupt biofilms associated with CRS. Our
results may be relevant to a new approach to refractory CRS.

   PMID: 17883887 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]