A matter of density, not quantity

Infections of wounds, pneumonia, etc. in hospitals in particular are often caused by bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Once they reach a certain density, colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce virulence factors and can enter into a slimy state, a biofilm, which prevents antibiotics from penetrating. The process of quorum sensing, which cells use to 'sense' cell density, is triggered when the concentration of certain signalling compounds generated by the bacteria reaches a threshold level...

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