- Household goods treated with anti-bacterial
disinfectants could help to create superbugs, a leading expert has warned.
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- Items such as chopping boards, cleaning
cloths and mops are now being routinely impregnated with anti-bacterial
disinfectants, Professor Denver Russell will tell a conference organised
by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on Thursday.
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- However, there is growing concern that
micro-organisms will become resistant to the disinfectants, and that they
will be able to spread unchecked.
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- The government has already warned that
over use of antibiotics has lead to bacteria developing resistance to the
drugs.
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- Professor Russell, a pharmaceutical microbiologist
from the Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff, will warn that the overuse
of disinfectants could exacerbate the problem.
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- Firstly, disinfectants may only work
against bacteria that are not likely to develop antibiotic resistance,
leaving the more robust organisms to multiply.
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- Secondly, the disinfectant may actively
stimulate the bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance.
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- Professor Russell said: "We do not
know for sure whether there is a link between antibiotic and resistance,
and resistance to disinfectants.
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- "But there is a possible risk that
freqeuent exposure to disinfectant could lead to antibiotic resistance
in some bacteria."
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- Professor Russell said that US research
had already suggested strongly that the disinfectant Triclosan, used extensively
to combat MRSA superbugs in hospitals, might actually promote antibiotic
resistance.
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- Professor said the use of disinfectant
impregnated household cleaners was probably unnecessary.
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- "If you stray away from the basic
principles of cleanliness and personal hygiene then you are in trouble,"
he said.
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