| Over the years it has become a given that | | | | aeruginosa. As the experiment continued, the |
| certain bacteria and infections, specifically those | | | | bacteria not only learned how to resist the |
| which are viral in nature, can eventually adapt to | | | | disinfectants, but also adapted to ciprofloxacin, |
| overcome the antibiotics which are given to | | | | which is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic, |
| individuals suffering from various types of | | | | without actually ever being exposed to the drug in |
| infection. This is why in most Western countries | | | | the first place. Instead, the research showed that |
| antibiotics are now rarely prescribed except in the | | | | the bacteria had adapted to the disinfectants and |
| direst of circumstances when an infection can | | | | learned how to pump out anti-microbial agents |
| prove life threatening. The fear of viruses | | | | from their cells, regardless of whether or not |
| mutating into super viruses is real enough for the | | | | they were disinfectant or antibiotic in nature. In |
| medical community to take these precautions. | | | | addition, their actual DNA mutated to allow them |
| Indeed certain medical practitioners currently | | | | to resist the ciprofloxacin line of antibiotics. |
| advise that individuals who take extraordinary | | | | Considering the deadly nature of pseudomonas |
| precautions to avoid contact with germs (to the | | | | aeruginosa, causing a wide range of infections with |
| point of paranoia) are actually harming themselves. | | | | individuals suffering from weakened immune |
| In the long run, such avoidance prevents the | | | | systems, and the range of surface disinfectants |
| development of immunity to the most common | | | | used to theoretically prevent the spread, the idea |
| types of harmful bacteria. | | | | that these germs can survive disinfectants is |
| Scientists also understand that bacteria can | | | | being taken very seriously. Lead author on the |
| eventually become immune to different types of | | | | study, Dr. Gerard Fleming, suggested that, "What |
| disinfectant, which is why antibacterial soaps and | | | | is more worrying is that the bacteria seem to be |
| hand creams are recommended to be used only | | | | able to adapt to resist antibiotics without even |
| in extreme circumstances, not on a daily basis. | | | | being exposed to them." |
| The latest research, as shown in the journal | | | | Additional research published earlier in the year |
| Microbiology as a result of a study conducted by | | | | also showed that the disinfectant wipes used to |
| the National University of Ireland, shows that | | | | help protect against MRSA (methicillin-resistant |
| certain bacteria are actually evolving to the point | | | | Staphylococcus aureus), a potentially fatal staph |
| where they have developed immunity to certain | | | | infection, were actually helping to spread the bug, |
| antibiotics, even in cases where the bacteria are in | | | | as the disinfectant within the wipes was |
| contact with antibiotics that they have not been | | | | insufficient to kill the bacteria. In any case, the |
| exposed to in the past. | | | | research is sufficiently alarming that medical |
| The research examined the most common type | | | | professionals throughout the world over are |
| of hospital bacteria, and culminated in laboratory | | | | taking notice and discussing potential changes in |
| tests where increased amounts of disinfectants | | | | advice and procedures. |
| were applied to cultures of pseudomonas | | | | |