Antibiotic and Biocide Resistance in Bacteria: perceptions and realities for the prevention and treatment of infection

Abstract

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a well‐known phenomenon and the mechanisms of resistance are generally well described in the literature. In comparison, bacterial resistance to biocides (i.e. formulations with disinfectant, antiseptic and/or preservative properties) has been described more recently and has been overall little studied, although several mechanisms have been put forward in recent years. The possible linkage of biocide and antibiotic resistance in bacteria has been reported by several authors and has fuelled recent debates as to whether the use of biocides selects for antibiotic resistance. The increased number of commercially available products containing biocides for hospital and especially domiciliary uses has invigorated this debate. There is a need to reassess our understanding of the mechanism(s) of action of, and bacterial resistance to, biocides and antibiotics and to review the laboratory and field evidence on possible linkage between antibiotic and biocide resistance in non‐sporulating bacteria. This supplement contains almost all the papers presented in Swansea at the Society for Applied Microbiology summer conference entitled “Antibiotic and Biocide resistance in bacteria: perceptions and realities for the prevention and treatment of infection”. It is entirely dedicated to biocides and antibiotics and more particularly to the mechanisms of resistance associated with their use.