Home›Infectious Disease› Biofilm-forming bacteria show 67% pooled prevalence in Asian clinical isolates
Biofilm-forming bacteria show 67% pooled prevalence in Asian clinical isolatesHigh Rates of Biofilm Forming Bacteria Found in Asia
BiofoulingPublished October 4, 2026Study authors: Singh Indu, Kumar Anil, Verma Indira Kumari, Sharma Divakar, Dhakad Megh Singh, Beg Mirza Masroor Al…PubMed ↗DOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Amelia Tan, PhD · Internal Medicine & Chronic Disease
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Key Takeaway
Interpret the 67% pooled biofilm prevalence cautiously due to high heterogeneity.
This meta-analysis synthesized data on the prevalence of biofilm-forming bacteria among clinical isolates in Asia. The pooled prevalence of biofilm-forming was 67% (95% CI 58.50, 75.31). Among biofilm-forming isolates, strong biofilm-forming prevalence was 20.37% (95% CI 19.31, 21.43) and moderate biofilm-forming prevalence was 30.28% (95% CI 29.17, 31.40). Weak biofilm-forming prevalence was 0% (confidence interval not reported). In China, the pooled prevalence of biofilm-forming was 99.04% (95% CI 97.2, 100.9), and the prevalence of a specific gene linked to biofilm-forming was 65.38% (confidence interval not reported).
The authors report significant heterogeneity (I-squared = 98.8%) across included studies, which limits confidence in the pooled estimates. Sample size, follow-up, and comparator details were not reported. Safety outcomes, including adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, and tolerability, were not reported. Funding and conflicts of interest were not reported.
The authors note that the findings indicate a need for routine patient screening and prevention of emerging multidrug resistant strains, and suggest the design of a novel prevention program by public-health policymakers. However, the analysis does not provide specific clinical outcomes for patients, and the high heterogeneity means the prevalence estimates should be interpreted with caution. The evidence is observational in nature and does not establish causality between biofilm formation and clinical outcomes.
How this fits prior evidence
This meta-analysis provides pooled prevalence estimates for biofilm-forming clinical isolates in Asia, a region-specific quantification that extends prior coverage of infection-related immune modulation, such as cold atmospheric plasma effects on immune signaling and acidic microenvironment reprogramming of immune cells. Unlike those mechanism-focused reviews, this analysis reports a high pooled prevalence (67%) but does not link biofilm formation to specific clinical outcomes. The finding addresses a gap in regional prevalence data but does not confirm or contrast with the prior coverage items, which focused on immune pathways rather than epidemiological prevalence.
A meta-analysis looked at clinical samples of bacteria that form biofilms in healthcare settings across Asia. Biofilms are layers of bacteria that can stick to surfaces and make infections more difficult to manage. The study found that 67% of the bacterial samples tested were capable of forming these biofilms.
Within those results, the study found that about 30% showed moderate biofilm-forming ability and 20% showed strong biofilm-forming ability. In China specifically, the prevalence of biofilm-forming was reported at 99.04%. The researchers also found that 65.38% of the samples contained a specific gene linked to biofilm formation.
Because of these high rates, experts suggest that healthcare providers may need better screening methods to identify these strains. The study is limited by high variability in the data, which means the results are not perfectly uniform. This research highlights the need for better prevention programs to manage these types of bacteria in medical settings.
What this means for you:
A high percentage of bacterial samples in Asia show biofilm-forming traits, which may impact how infections are managed.
Common questions
What is a biofilm and why does it matter?
A biofilm is a layer of bacteria that sticks to surfaces. This study found that 67% of bacterial samples in Asia form these biofilms. Biofilms can make infections harder to treat because the bacteria are protected within the layer. The study specifically found 30.28% moderate and 20.37% strong biofilm-forming cases.
How common is this in specific regions like China?
The study found a very high prevalence of biofilm-forming bacteria in China, reported at 99.04%. This high rate suggests that these types of bacteria are very common in those healthcare settings. The data also showed that 65.38% of the samples contained a specific gene linked to biofilm-forming.
What does this mean for patient care?
The high prevalence of these bacteria suggests that healthcare providers may need to improve how they screen patients and prevent multidrug-resistant strains. Because the study shows such high rates of biofilm-forming, it highlights the need for better public health programs to manage these infections effectively.
, an evolving pathogen that has become a drug-resistant strain in the last two decades, causes a high rate of infections in health-care settings. Most nosocomial infections were caused by biofilm-forming which enables it to survive and proliferate under hostile conditions, including high concentrations of antibiotics. They confer resistance to antibiotics and facilitate the spread of drug-resistance genes among strains. For alternative preventive measures, patterns of are required, which are still in their infancy, especially in Asia. Thus, the current systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the Asian prevalence of biofilm-forming in clinical isolates. Data extraction was performed by searching various electronic databases and was collected in Microsoft Excel. The extracted data were exported to STATA version 12 for further statistical analysis. The pooled prevalence of biofilm-forming was evaluated using random effects with DerSimonian-Laird. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impact of individual reports on the pooled prevalence. A funnel plot was used to assess publication bias, and in addition to confirm, Egger's statistical test was employed. The prevalence of biofilm-forming in Asia was 67% (95% CI = 58.50, 75.31). A significant heterogeneity was observed among studies with an of 98.8%. The prevalence of strong, moderate and weak biofilm-forming was 20.37% (95% CI = 19.31, 21.43), 30.28% (95% CI = 29.17, 31.40) and 0%. The highest prevalence of biofilm-forming clinical isolates was reported for China (99.04%; 95% CI = 97.2, 100.9). The prevalent gene linked to biofilm-forming clinical isolates was the gene (65.38%). The increased biofilm-forming burden of in healthcare settings indicates the need for routine patient screening and the prevention of emerging multidrug resistant . Moreover, these outcomes suggested the design of a novel prevention program by public-health policymakers to control the looming drug-resistant strain.
