Viruses and biofilms, a story of attachment

The food processing environment is a privileged place for the development of biofilms, complex microbial communities associated with surfaces. It is well known that biofilms can resist disinfection, contribute to spoilage and contamination of products by harbouring pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, Bacillus spp. or Escherichia coli, which can represent a food safety risk. But what about enteric viruses such as Norovirus and Hepatitis A virus that cause foodborne illness? Can they too be harboured by bacterial biofilms? Viruses and bacteria have always coexisted in different microbiota and can occupy the same ecological niches, but it is only recently that we have become interested in the possible relationships between these two types of microorganisms. Recent studies have shown that there are some interactions of co-infection and synergistic pathogenesis between viruses and bacteria. In addition, some enteric viruses such as Norovirus possess the ability to adhere to bacterial cell wall components including LPS, peptidoglycan, extracellular polymeric substances and surface polysaccharides. Although there is very little information on the presence and persistence of foodborne viruses in biofilms, recent data pave the way for exploration and AAFC's research and advances in this area will be presented.