Potential Impact of Increased Use of Biocides in Consumer Products on Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance

Gilbert, Peter; McBain, Andrew J.

doi:10.1128/cmr.16.2.189-208.2003

Cited by 268 publications

(232 citation statements)

References 288 publications

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“…Gilbert & McBain (2003) stated that 'in any environment there is likely to be a continuum of biocide concentration ranging from treatment concentration to nil'. This, in effect, presents subinhibitory concentrations in the Table 3.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of subinhibitory concentrations of benzalkonium chloride on the competitiveness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown in continuous culture

2010

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This study investigates the link between adaptation to biocides and antibiotics in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An enrichment continuous culture of P. aeruginosa NCIMB 10421 (MIC 25 mg BKC l−1) was operated (D=0.04 h−1, 792 h) with added benzalkonium chloride (BKC). A derivative, PA-29 (696 h), demonstrated a >12-fold decrease in sensitivity to the biocide (MIC >350 mg BKC l−1). The variant demonstrated a 256-fold increase in resistance to ciprofloxacin, with a mutation in the gyrA gene (Thr-83→Ile). Similarly, culturing of the original strain in a continuous-culture system with ciprofloxacin selection pressure led to the evolution of BKC-adapted populations (MIC 100 mg BKC l−1). Efflux pump activity predominantly contributed to the developed phenotype of PA-29. An amino acid substitution (Val-51→Ala) in nfxB, the Mex efflux system regulator gene, was observed for PA-29. Overexpression of both MexAB-OprM and MexCD-OprJ was recorded for PA-29. Similarly, mexR, a repressor of the Mex system, was downregulated. Competition studies were carried out in continuous culture between PA-29 and the original strain (in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of BKC). The outcome of competition was influenced by the concentration of biocide used and the nature of limiting nutrient. The inclusion of 1 mg BKC l−1 in the medium feed was sufficient to select (S=0.011) for the BKC-adapted strain in magnesium-limited culture. Conversely, the presence of 10 mg BKC l−1 in the medium supply was insufficient to select for the same organism (S=−0.017) in the glucose-limited culture. These results indicate the importance of environmental conditions on selection and maintenance of biocide adaptation.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of subinhibitory concentrations of benzalkonium chloride on the competitiveness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown in continuous culture

2010

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“…The rise in resistance to antibiotics is paralleled by a similar trend in resistance to biocides (Higgins et al, 2001;Bjorland et al, 2005), prompting concerns that the increasingly widespread use of biocides enhances the selection and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria (Russell, 2002;Gilbert and McBain, 2003). There are two widely discussed mechanisms by which this coselection might occur.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The widespread distribution of diverse qac cassettes hints at a general role for these efflux pumps in environmental bacteria. It is thought that efflux pumps defend against toxins in natural ecosystems (Gilbert and McBain, 2003), but the natural targets of qac efflux systems are currently unknown.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gene cassettes encoding resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds: a role in the origin of clinical class 1 integrons?

et al. 2008

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DNA sequencing, phylogenetic and mapping studies suggest that the class 1 integron found in pathogens arose when one member of the diverse family of environmental class 1 integrons became embedded into a Tn402 transposon. However, the timing of this event and the selective forces that first fixed the newly formed element in a bacterial lineage are still unknown. Biocides have a longer use in clinical practice than antibiotics, and a qac (quaternary ammonium compound) resistance gene, or remnant thereof, is a normal feature of class 1 integrons recovered from clinical isolates. Consequently, it is possible that the initial selective advantage was conferred by resistance to biocides, mediated by qac. Here, we show that diverse qac gene cassettes are a dominant feature of cassette arrays from environmental class 1 integrons, and that they occur in the absence of any antibiotic resistance gene cassettes. They are present in arrays that are dynamic, acquiring and rearranging gene cassettes within the arrays. The abundance of qac gene cassettes makes them a likely candidate for participation in the original insertion into Tn402, and as a source of a readily selectable phenotype. More broadly, the increasing use of qac and other biocides at the present time seems likely to promote the fixation of further novel genetic elements, with unpredictable and potentially adverse consequences for human health and agriculture.

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“…This operon (3) regulates the expression of a large number of genes, including those coding for at least one broad-specificity efflux pump (the arcAB efflux pump) (30), which are more strongly expressed under conditions of environmental stress (23). This suggests a direct linkage between environmental stresses, such as those occurring in foods and the domestic environment (3), efflux pump expression, and the development of antibiotic resistance (ABR) (12,14,30).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Stress and Antibiotic Resistance in Food-Related Pathogens

McMahon

Moore

et al. 2007

Appl Environ Microbiol

214

140

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This study investigated the possibility that sublethal food preservation stresses (high or low temperature and osmotic and pH stress) can lead to changes in the nature and scale of antibiotic resistance (ABR) expressed by three food-related pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus). The study found that some sublethal stresses significantly altered antibiotic resistance. Incubation at sublethal high temperature (45°C) decreased ABR. Incubation under increased salt (>4.5%) or reduced pH (<5.0) conditions increased ABR. Some of the pathogens continued to express higher levels of ABR after removal of stress, suggesting that in some cases the applied sublethal stress had induced stable increases in ABR. These results indicate that increased use of bacteriostatic (sublethal), rather than bactericidal (lethal), food preservation systems may be contributing to the development and dissemination of ABR among important food-borne pathogens.

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Potential Impact of Increased Use of Biocides in Consumer Products on Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance

Cited by 268 publications

References 288 publications

Effect of subinhibitory concentrations of benzalkonium chloride on the competitiveness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown in continuous culture

Effect of subinhibitory concentrations of benzalkonium chloride on the competitiveness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown in continuous culture

Gene cassettes encoding resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds: a role in the origin of clinical class 1 integrons?

Environmental Stress and Antibiotic Resistance in Food-Related Pathogens

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