3 ms·

What problems is it contributing to? The article says it doesn't actually affect bacteria, so it can't be contributing to resistant strains.

jmcgough 10y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan#Resistance_concerns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan#Resistance_concerns At best, antibacterial soap is ineffective. At worst, it's contributing to resistance in some microbes.
- refurb 10y ago
  But we don't use the antibacterials in soaps as therapeutic agents to treat infections. So if a bacteria becomes resistant to triclosan, it has no impact on the effectiveness of antibiotics.
  - pdkl95 10y ago
    > we don't use the antibacterials in soaps as therapeutic agents to treat infections Why would you think that changes anything? The bacteria don't care about our intentions. Artificial selection works the same regardless. From the link you were replying to: [...] exposure to triclosan was associated with a high risk of developing resistance and cross-resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. > if a bacteria becomes resistant to triclosan, it has no impact on the effectiveness of antibiotics. Do you think the bacteria magically lose their resistance to an antibiotic (or cross-resistance to a similar antibiotic biochemical mechanism)? Evolution doesn't care why a bacteria developed a mutation that produced a resistance to a particular chemical. All that matters is that they, as survivors, will pass on that mutation to future generations. Any resistant strain will have an advantage in the future, which includes resistance to any antibiotics that work similarly. By the way, heredity isn't the only way a resistant trait can spread to future bacteria. Horizontal gene transfer[1] is a thing. Bacteria can spread the resistance gene among the current-generation. [1] http://amrls.cvm.msu.edu/microbiology/molecular-basis-for-antimicrobial-resistance/acquired-resistance/acquisition-of-antimicrobial-resistance-via-horizontal-gene-transfer http://amrls.cvm.msu.edu/microbiology/molecular-basis-for-an... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_gene_transfer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_gene_transfer
    - refurb 10y ago
      Any resistant strain will have an advantage in the future, which includes resistance to any antibiotics that work similarly. That's my point. Antibaterials work an entirely different way than antibiotics. Triclosan resistance confers no resistance to beta-lactams.

jmcgough 10y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan#Resistance_concerns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan#Resistance_concerns At best, antibacterial soap is ineffective. At worst, it's contributing to resistance in some microbes.

refurb 10y ago
But we don't use the antibacterials in soaps as therapeutic agents to treat infections. So if a bacteria becomes resistant to triclosan, it has no impact on the effectiveness of antibiotics.
- pdkl95 10y ago
  > we don't use the antibacterials in soaps as therapeutic agents to treat infections Why would you think that changes anything? The bacteria don't care about our intentions. Artificial selection works the same regardless. From the link you were replying to: [...] exposure to triclosan was associated with a high risk of developing resistance and cross-resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. > if a bacteria becomes resistant to triclosan, it has no impact on the effectiveness of antibiotics. Do you think the bacteria magically lose their resistance to an antibiotic (or cross-resistance to a similar antibiotic biochemical mechanism)? Evolution doesn't care why a bacteria developed a mutation that produced a resistance to a particular chemical. All that matters is that they, as survivors, will pass on that mutation to future generations. Any resistant strain will have an advantage in the future, which includes resistance to any antibiotics that work similarly. By the way, heredity isn't the only way a resistant trait can spread to future bacteria. Horizontal gene transfer[1] is a thing. Bacteria can spread the resistance gene among the current-generation. [1] http://amrls.cvm.msu.edu/microbiology/molecular-basis-for-antimicrobial-resistance/acquired-resistance/acquisition-of-antimicrobial-resistance-via-horizontal-gene-transfer http://amrls.cvm.msu.edu/microbiology/molecular-basis-for-an... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_gene_transfer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_gene_transfer
  - refurb 10y ago
    Any resistant strain will have an advantage in the future, which includes resistance to any antibiotics that work similarly. That's my point. Antibaterials work an entirely different way than antibiotics. Triclosan resistance confers no resistance to beta-lactams.