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Antibacterial Products
Using antibacterial soaps, lotions, toys, cutting boards and mattresses
might literally be a case of overkill. In a glossary of terms related
to antibiotic resistance, the Union of Concerned Scientists lists antibacterial
as " a drug that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria".
Antibacterial Products and Children
Their ubiquitous use is too recent for the hard data of scientific experiments
to be in, but scientists around the world are suspecting that the overuse
of antibacterial products is causing health problems specifically with
immune systems of very young children. Reports from Japan, where the popularity
of antibacterial products is said to outstrip American enthusiasm, along
with accounts from Canada and the U.K., cite high incidences of childhood
asthma and allergies as possibly being influenced by frequent exposure
to antibacterials and antibiotics. The U.S. Center for Disease Control
and Prevention note that our most chronic childhood disease is asthma,
affecting 5 million children and teens. Their reports indicate a 75% increase
in asthma from 1980 to 1994, but the most alarming statistic is the claim
that there is a 160% rise in asthma for children under the age of four!
The conclusion many scientists and medical practitioners have come to
is that when youngster's exposure to run of the mill dust and germs is
curtailed, their developing immune systems miss opportunities to practice
their resistance skills. Elimination of contact with these innocuous organisms
seems to be more of a problem to urban children than those living on farms,
since urban kids have less interaction with soil and untreated water causing
the statistics for city children to be higher. Therefore, an under developed
immune system can mistake pet dander for a threatening parasite and cause
all sorts of allergic reactions.
Hygiene Hypothesis
One explanation for this is the "hygiene hypothesis". This is
a theory which argues that our environments are becoming dangerously free
of the beneficial bacteria man has historically lived with, triggering
imbalances due to lack of stimulation in our immune systems that allow
for marked incidences of certain chronic diseases. Again, this hypothesis
is still only a theory to explain extreme spikes in the number of cases
of chronic diseases in the developed world. The recent onset of alarming
increases in allergies, dermatitis, asthma, and type 1 diabetes, pretty
much coincides with the general use of antibacterials; scientists are
testing the connections.
"Super Bugs"
An additional concern is about upsetting the historical bacterial balance
of our world. Because the triclocarbon, triclosan and benzalkonium chloride
in antibacterials kill off susceptible, often beneign bacteria, they also
encourage resistant bacterial strains to multiply, sometimes referred
to as "super bugs". According to John Conly, Chairman of the
Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance, "the overuse of [antibacterial
products] could create a super clean world. The World Health Organization
has predicted that in 15 years, at the pace we are going in developed
countries, we will be at an era where we have no antibiotics left to fight
some of our infections. This is because of the pace of growth of some
superbugs growing in developed nations." One way this shows up is
in nosocomial infections which are infections acquired during hospitalization
that were not present at the time of hospital admission.
An Anecdotal Account
More and more the word antibacterial is appearing on the labels of products
used in daily life. It is getting to be difficult to avoid them in public
places. Even if Green Martha cannot see the label when dispensing soap
in a Ladies Room, she is aware of antibacterial ingredients because she
can smell the difference. These products are particularly difficult for
her to use because the scent lingers long after she's rinsed and dried
her hands. Her stomach tightens up, she has an uncomfortable taste in
her mouth, and occasionally a faint headache, sometimes lasting hours.
The after effect is primarily due to the residue inherent in cleaning
products that contain softeners or lotions.
Alternatives to Consider
According to Stuart B. Levy's March 1998 article in Scientific American,
"Standard soaps and detergents (without added antibacterials) decrease
the numbers of potentially troublesome bacteria perfectly well. Similarly,
quickly evaporating chemicals-such as the old standbys of chlorine bleach,
alcohol, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide-can be applied beneficially. They
remove potentially disease-causing bacteria…but do not leave long
lasting residues that will continue to kill benign bacteria and increase
the growth of resistant strains long after target pathogens have been
removed." Green Martha would note that chlorine bleach and ammonia
are dangerous in their own right and need to be used in moderation.
 Practices
to Remember
What this all points to is reconsidering how our moms, or maybe our grandmothers,
kept us and their houses clean. The scientists agree that there is no
substitute for good old fashioned elbow grease when it comes to hand washing
and other cleaning. A fact sheet for the Alliance for the Prudent use
of Antibiotics states that rubbing our hands together for at least 10
to 15 seconds after lathering up with soap and warm running water, and
making sure to wash wrists, palms, backs of hands, and under our fingernails,
will do the trick. They also note when hand washing is necessary.
Before
- Preparing or eating food
- Treating a cut or wound
- Tending to someone who is sick
- Inserting or removing contact lenses
After
- Using the bathroom
- Handling uncooked foods, particularly raw meat, poultry, or fish
- Changing a diaper
- Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
- Playing with or touching a pet, especially reptiles or exotic animals
- Handling garbage
- Tending to someone who is sick or injured.
The Precautionary Principle
Even though the evidence is still too circumstantial regarding the connections
between antibacterial products and compromised auto immune systems, there
are choices available when selecting products for family use. Scientists
have a rule called the precautionary principle, which refers to operating
in favor of caution when there is not yet scientific certainty about threats
to human health and the environment. It might be a word to the wise while
the jury is out
Union of Concerned Scientists
Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance
Science news Online (8-14-99): Modern
Hygiene's Dirty Tricks
Salon.com (2000/05/03) Bring
on the Germs
Scientific
American: The Challenge of Antibiotic Resistance: March 1998
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Green Martha
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