INVESTIGATION OF ANTIBIOTIC AND ANTIBACTERIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY AND RESISTANCE IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS FROM THE SKIN OF USERS AND NONUSERS OF ANTIBACTERIAL WASH PRODUCTS IN HOME ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Background: Amidst continued calls for more research investigating the relationship between the use of antibacterial wash products and antibiotic and antibacterial resistance in human-source bacteria, this study aimed to describe susceptibilities in staphylococcal skin isolates from community users of antibacterial wash products, compared to isolates from non-users. Methods: Qualified and randomly selected participants (n=210) comprised three equal groups: 1) those that frequently used wash products containing triclosan; 2) those that frequently used products containing triclocarban; 3) control group that used no antibacterial wash products. A forearm swab sample was collected from each participant and processed for coagulase- negative Staphylococcus species and S. aureus (SA). Standard antibiotic and antibacterial minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing was performed on all isolates (n=317). Results: There was no statistically significant difference in antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus isolates from regular antibacterial wash product users compared with non-users. None of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin, and the rate of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) detected was appreciably less than that reported in the literature for both hospital inpatient and outpatient isolates of SA. There was also a definitive lack of antibiotic/antibacterial cross-resistance. Conclusion: An extensive community study of resident skin Staphylococcus showed no increased antibiotic resistance in participant groups regularly using wash products containing triclocarban (TCC) or triclosan (TCS), as compared with participants using wash products containing no TCC or TCS. This adds to and confirms previous yet limited community data showing lack of evidence that the use of antibacterial wash products facilitates antibiotic resistance and antibiotic/antibacterial cross-resistance.