CM/Spotlight: Infection control Continued from page 24 “That studies of triclosan use haven’t shown a resistance problem in the commu-nity doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” said Dr. Stuart B. Levy, a microbiology professor at Tufts who is president of the Alliance for Prudent Use of Antibiotics. “I’m the first to say we haven’t seen a difference yet in the home. We know from antibiotic data that if it happens in a lab it will eventually hap-pen outside the lab.” individuals or when farmers add them to animal feed — the effect is amplified. You’re going to have this exaggerated, snowballing effect of resistant bacteria multiplying all around you,” added Marlene Zuk, a biology professor at the University of California, Riverside, whose book, Riddled with Life , discusses the proliferation of antibacterial cleaners and personal products. “Here you have a substance that has been widely used in hospital settings and household settings,” said Herbert P. Schweizer, associate director for research at the department of microbiology, immunol-ogy and pathology at Colorado State University, who conducted some of the lab studies showing triclosan resistance. “The exposure to this widely used antimicrobial caused emergence of multidrug resistance in laboratory strains.” Make peace with bacteria “We exist in the bacterial world, not bacteria in ours. Unfortunately, we believe that we can rid ourselves of bac-teria when, in fact, we cannot. Instead, we should ‘make peace’ with them. Although we need to control pathogens when they cause disease, we do not have to engage in a full-fledged ‘war’ against the microbial world.” Beyond science This has more than academic interest, because custodians nationwide are being asked more frequently to perform extensive disinfection while they are cleaning. Concern about CA-MRSA, community-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , is becoming paranoia and, along with flu season, is increasing the Concluded on page 28 — Dr. Stuart B. Levy, “Antibacterial Household Products: Cause for Concern” www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/ pdf/levy.pdf Circle Product Information no. 202 on page 34 26 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • February 2009
CMM – Archives Feb 2009: 26
