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Antibacterial Soaps Lead to Resistant Bacteria

We have been reporting for a long time that the nearly indiscriminate use of antibiotics is producing resistant super-strains of bacteria that do not respond to any current treatment. The April 16, 1999 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry reports that a common agent found in antibacterial products such as soaps may actually increase the likelihood of resistance in common household bacteria.

It has been previously thought that the chemical, called Triclosan, acted as an agent that killed all bacteria on contact by rupturing the bacteria cell walls. Indeed, if that were the case, it would be very unlikely that bacteria strains would develop resistance.

As it turns out, Triclosan works the same way many antibiotics do, by interfering with the production of necessary fatty acids by certain genes inside the bacteria. Unfortunately, these genes can mutate in some cases and cause the bacteria to become genetically resistant to the triclosan, become harder to kill and pass along their resistance to following generations of bacteria.

Researcher Charles Rock, Ph.D., of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital says "we consider this to be a serious public health concern," and that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should regulate Triclosan the same way it regulates other antibacterial drugs.

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