UFS team undertakes research to test the presence of ammonium compounds used in sanitisers in the ecosystem, which lead to resistant micro-organisms in water sy
Disinfectants could be helping bacteria to become resistant
Thought LeadersProfessor Robert BraggProfessorUniversity of the Free State
News-Medical speaks to Professor Robert Bragg about disinfectants and how they could be helping bacteria to become resistant.
What provoked your research into bacteria and their resistance?
I have been involved in research on the control of animal diseases for many years now. The control of any disease in a population (human or animal) is based on three main pillars. These are 1) vaccinations and vaccines, 2) treatment options (such as antibiotics for bacterial diseases), and 3) biosecurity.
With the ever-increasing problems with bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics, it is becoming essential to look at alternatives to antibiotics before we have no antibiotics left. The most likely solution to the antibiotic resistance crisis (particularly in animal production) would be improved biosecurity.