Les détergents et les désinfectants : les risques liés à l'usage médical des biocides (2e partie)
Résumé
Objectives: Biocides are used intensively in a large variety of applications, usually with inanimate objects or on the skin. The general consumer markets led to increase their use by the general public and the risk assessment should be affected by the wide frequency of contact with these products for humans or environment. Risks: Increasingly accurate legislation takes into account physical and chemical risks and the best prevention is the respect of security rules. The evaluation of biological risks is not so easy because antibacterial products activity is linked either to major agents (disinfectant) or to additional agents used as preservatives. Mode of action and biological risk: Some similarities between these antibacterial compounds and antibiotic action have been described maintaining some fears on development or induction of a coping mechanism that should result in a new or increased antibiotic resistance. In fact, these resistances are described as increase in minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antibiotics and not as loss of efficacy at usual concentrations. Resistance and survival: Mainly, there is an over way for microorganisms to survive like very well organized communities manned "biofilms" which preserve organisms of adverse effects including biocide action and present real health and environmental risks.