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The destructive ability of bacteria to organize an infection or block pathways such as intestines, medical stents and wastewater pipes relies on communication with one another. New work from Princeton University researchers shows that the effectiveness of bacteria's ability to keep in touch is influenced by the physical characteristics and flow of fluid in the environments they're invading.
The findings provide a better understanding of where and when in a system scientists can interfere with bacterial communication to help prevent infections and blockages. The study also found that fluid flow can determine where and when bacteria begin to act as disease-causing agents.Image credit: Films courtesy of Minyoung Kevin Kim et al.
