Forgot to post this, found it on the MSU Center for Biofilm Engineering...

"What is the industrial significance of biofilm?

Microbial biofilms on surfaces cost the nation billions of dollars yearly in equipment damage, product contamination, energy losses and medical infections. Conventional methods of killing bacteria (such as Antibiotics , and disinfection) are often ineffective with biofilm bacteria. The huge doses of antimicrobials required to rid systems of biofilm bacteria are environmentally undesirable (and perhaps not allowed by environmental regulations) and medically impractical (since what it would take to kill the biofilm bacteria would also kill the patient!). So new strategies based on a better understanding of how bacteria attach, grow and detach are urgently needed by many industries."

So, could this be why we can't kill these things??

I have been reading up on biofilms and such and I really do believe that this may be the answer. For one, I did read that these biofilms can cause all the beasties to NOT be cultured which is why some of them would not show up when we get tested.

The big question now, for me, is how do we get rid of these biofilms????

I have been reading on EDTA, a chelator, that taking EDTA in conjungtion w/ Antibiotics , antifungals etc, helps to get rid of the biofilm (EDTA)and thus allows the Antibiotics and such to then be able to kill the things. I am wondering if IP-6 would do the same thing? It is a chelator as well.

Anyone know of any other chelators out there?

Read the following info, very interesting explanation of biofilms and what they do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofilm


*I also found this on Bentham Science Publishers:

Abstract:
Biofilms and their Role in the Resistance of Pathogenic Candida to Antifungal Agents
C. d’Enfert

Fungal pathogens of the genus Candida form biofilms on catheters and prosthetic devices. These three-dimensional structures composed of yeast and hyphal cells embedded in an extracellular matrix constitute an important pitfall in the management of disseminated Candida infections because of their intrinsic resistance to almost all antifungals in clinical use. Candida biofilms are especially resistant to azoles and amphotericin B but remain sensitive to the newly introduced echinocandins that target cell wall β-glucan biosynthesis. Antifungal resistance of biofilms results most probably from the conjunction of several mechanisms that act in a time-dependent manner. While drug efflux is likely to contribute to resistance during the early phases of biofilm formation, changes in the sterol composition of membranes might explain the resistance of mature biofilms. The original physiology of mature Candida biofilms is mirrored by specific gene expression patterns that may pinpoint genes important for the acquisition of pleiotropic antifungal resistance.

Isn't this what enzymes are for - like Candidase or Zymex or something? I have read that they eat up the cell wall of candida organisms, not sure if that includes biofilms.

I'm going to try that next. I've been a few weeks on The SCD diet with actually worsening symptoms. Thinking of trying Body Ecology diet (again) next.