Antibacterial Cleaning Products and Drug Resistance

Allison E Aiello,Elaine Larson,Susan X Lin,Stuart B Levy,Phyllis Della-Latta,Bonnie Marshall

doi:10.3201/eid1110.041276

Allison E Aiello, Elaine Larson + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1110.041276

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Abstract

We examined whether household use of antibacterial cleaning and hygiene products is an emerging risk factor for carriage of antimicrobial drug-resistant bacteria on hands of household members. Households (N = 224) were randomized to use of antibacterial or nonantibacterial cleaning and hygiene products for 1 year. Logistic regression was used to assess the influence of antibacterial product use in homes. Antibacterial product use did not lead to a significant increase in antimicrobial drug resistance after 1 year (odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval 0.74-2.41), nor did it have an effect on bacterial susceptibility to triclosan. However, more extensive and longer term use of triclosan might provide a suitable environment for emergence of resistant species. Further research on this issue is needed.

Highlights

We examined whether household use of antibacterial cleaning and hygiene products is an emerging risk factor for carriage of antimicrobial drug–resistant bacteria on hands of household members
This study aimed to determine whether home use of antibacterial cleaning and hygiene products or other potential risk factors was associated with carriage of antimicrobial drug–resistant bacteria on household members’ hands
The odds of carrying >1 antimicrobial drug–resistant strain(s) among antibacterial product users and nonusers were not significant at baseline or after 1 year of antibacterial product use (Table 3)

Summary

Introduction

We examined whether household use of antibacterial cleaning and hygiene products is an emerging risk factor for carriage of antimicrobial drug–resistant bacteria on hands of household members. Antibacterial product use did not lead to a significant increase in antimicrobial drug resistance after 1 year (odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval 0.74–2.41), nor did it have an effect on bacterial susceptibility to triclosan. More extensive and longer term use of triclosan might provide a suitable environment for emergence of resistant species. Further research on this issue is needed. This study aimed to determine whether home use of antibacterial cleaning and hygiene products (including use of a handwashing soap containing 0.2% triclosan) or other potential risk factors was associated with carriage of antimicrobial drug–resistant bacteria on household members’ hands. We assessed the association of these antibacterial products with carriage of organisms with reduced susceptibility to triclosan

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