part Section I -- chapter 1 Microbial Biofilms / chapter 2 Economic Impact of Biofilms on Treatment Costs / chapter 3 Biofilm-Related Indwelling Medical Device Infections / chapter 4 Medical Device Composition and Biological Secretion Influences on Biofilm Formation / part SECTION II Biofilm-Forming Pathogens -- chapter 5 Role of Biofilms in Infections Caused by Escherichia coli / chapter 6 Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms / chapter 7 Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci / chapter 8 Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Infections in Cystic Fibrosis / chapter 9 Candida / part SECTION III Emerging Issues, Assays, and Models -- chapter 10 Current Perspectives on the Regulation of the ica Operon and Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis / chapter 11 Cell-to-Cell Communication in Bacteria / chapter 12 Persisters: Specialized Cells Responsible for Biofilm Tolerance to Antimicrobial Agents / chapter 13 Minimal Biofilm Eradication Concentration (MBEC) Assay: Susceptibility Testing for Biofilms / chapter 14 Environmental Cues Regulate Virulence and Biofilm Formation / chapter 15 In Vivo Models for the Study of Biomaterial-Associated Infection by Biofilm-Forming Staphylococci / chapter 16 Host Response to Biofilms / part SECTION IV Overview of Antiinfective Agents and Clinical Therapy -- chapter 17 Pharmacodynamics and the Treatment of IMD-Related Infections / chapter 18 Protein Synthesis Inhibitors, Fluoroquinolones, and Rifampin for Biofilm Infections / chapter 19 β-Lactams for the Treatment of Biofilm-Associated Infections / chapter 20 Glycopeptide Antibacterials and the Treatment of Biofilm-Related Infections / chapter 21 Antibiotic Resistance in Biofilms / chapter 22 Treatment Protocols for Infections of Vascular Catheters / chapter 23 Treatment Protocols for Bacterial Endocarditis and Infection of Electrophysiologic Cardiac Devices / chapter 24 Treatment Protocol of Infections of Orthopedic Devices