Several microorganisms have developed mechanisms to persist in the host. Strategies adopted by bacterial pathogens include an intracellular lifestyle or biofilm formation. Bacteria frequently grow as communities embedded in an extracellular matrix. The difficulty of penetration of antibiotics and immune response effectors and the reduced metabolism of bacteria in the biofilm are among the main factors for the persistence of biofilm-related infections. These infections represent a serious threat to public health.

In recent years, new compounds and alternative approaches have been studied to counteract infections from intracellularly localized, antimicrobial-resistant, and/or biofilm-producing microorganisms. Several of these antibacterial strategies have gained substantial attention and are considered for their broad-spectrum antimicrobial potential.

This research topic aims to explore recent developments in:
1. Antimicrobial treatment strategies such as antimicrobial peptides, natural compounds, secondary metabolites, and alternative approaches like phage therapy, photodynamic therapy, bioelectric therapy, and nanoparticles.
2. Identification of effective mechanisms even against latent organisms and more generally pathogens with intracellular localization.
3. Studies of synergistic effects of combining different treatments to inhibit or eradicate mature biofilms. An important area of interest will concern the study of new approaches to restore or enhance the activity of conventional antimicrobial agents and innovative strategies for the diagnosis and/or treatment of biofilm-borne infections.

We invite contributors to submit Brief Research Reports, mini-reviews, Original Research, and Reviews on the following sub-themes:
* New natural and/or synthetic compounds to prevent or eradicate microbial biofilms.
* Investigations into the phases of biofilm formation and its maturation, aiming to identify potential targets for anti-biofilm approaches that address adhesion, quorum sensing, and the extracellular polymeric substance matrix.
* Bio- and nano-technologies to combat multidrug resistance associated with biofilms, enhancing the efficacy of active agents and revitalizing obsolete conventional compounds.
* Strategies to target and eradicate persistent bacterial cells.
* Studies on the "bioelectric effect," focusing on the combination of low doses of antibiotics and a weak electric field, aimed at disintegrating mature biofilms.

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Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

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