06 Oct 2008
Disinfectants can make bacteria resistant to treatment

I've blogged before about this issue, and have been questioned as to whether it was chemicals (as in most antibacterial soap) or antibiotics (as in cattle feed) that was causing the problem.

This article seems to suggest it's both. And if that's right, we're in a world of potential trouble.

Chemicals used in the environment to kill bacteria could be making them stronger, according to a paper published in the October issue of the journal Microbiology. Low levels of these chemicals, called biocides, can make the potentially lethal bacterium Staphylococcus aureus remove toxic chemicals from the cell even more efficiently, potentially making it resistant to being killed by some antibiotics.

(link) [EurekAlert!]

06:12 /Agriculture | 2 comments | permanent link