Common household disinfectant linked to antibiotic resistance
A common household disinfectant has been linked to antibiotic resistance by scientists from the University of Birmingham and Norwich Research Park, according to a study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Researchers found the connection when they saw that bacteria that mutated to become resistant to antibiotics also became resistant to triclosan, which in usually found in many disinfectant products.
Quinolone antibiotics are a powerful group of medicines, and the new discovery raises concerns that the use of products containing triclosan could be linked with antimicrobial resistance.
loading...
Corresponding author Dr Mark Webber, from the Quadram Institute and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham, explained that bacteria are tricked to thinking they are under attack and then primed to deal with different threats, including triclosan.
“The worry is that this might happen in reverse and triclosan exposure might encourage the growth of antibiotic-resistant strains.
“We found this can happen in E. coli. As we run out of effective drugs, understanding how antibiotic resistance can happen and under what conditions is crucial to stopping selection of more resistant bacteria.”
Professor Laura Piddock from the Institue of Microbiology and Infection at the University of Birmingham and co-author of the study added that the link is important given the presence of triclosan in the environment and even human tissues.
“Given the prevalence of triclosan and other antimicrobials in the environment, a greater understanding of the impact they can have on bacteria and how exposure to these antimicrobials may impact the selection and spread of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance is needed, ” emphasised Piddock.
Products labelled as ”antimicrobial” have been present more and more on the market. Moreover, there is a significant lack of evidence regarding their additional benefits over traditional cleaning and hygiene products.
However, the antimicrobial ingredients from these products are altering the ecosystem and could potentially promote the selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
loading...
Triclosan, especially, has been the cause of concern which led to a ban across the EU and the United States in its use in hygiene products.
Loading...