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American Morning
House Call: Antibacterials Interfere with Growth of Bacteria
Aired May 27, 2003 - 07:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Making a "House Call" this morning to look at some of today's top health stories, our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He's at the CNN Center now with the very latest news about some household products that might actually do more harm than good, huh?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they might, Heidi. It's really interesting.
There are about 700 antibacterial products out there. You find it in your liquid soap, dishwashing detergent, all sorts of different products. What's really been of concern for some researchers is: Are these antibacterial products actually leading to the problem of antibiotic resistance out there? We've heard about antibiotic resistance, where certain organisms don't respond to antibiotics at all. And the question is: Are these products contributing to that somehow?
So, researchers from Tuffs University decided to put it to the test. They actually examined 38 households in Boston and in Cincinnati, and looked at households that either used two or more of these products or don't use any of these products at all. And this is what they found: No increase in superbugs if using the antibacterial -- these superbugs again being the bugs that are resistant to antibiotics. No difference, however, in the levels of bacteria either; again, compared between households who use these antibacterials and households who don't. And the most concerning thing really, a high level of antibiotic resistance in both groups.
So, antibiotic resistance a real concern out there, but probably not as a result of these household products.
Important to remember, there are some pros of using these antibacterial products as well. Take a look at some of the pros of using them. They are safe and effective. They are not the cause of antibiotic resistance. They can say that more definitively now as a result of this study.
Resistance is more due to the use and overuse of antibiotics. That's the actual medication you take as opposed to these products. And these products are particularly important in the care of sick children, people who are sick around the house. Heidi, you and I have talked so many times about hand washing, hand washing either with antibacterial products or other products do it. They can cut down on disease and other illness -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, very good. Thanks so much, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Bacteria>
Aired May 27, 2003 - 07:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Making a "House Call" this morning to look at some of today's top health stories, our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He's at the CNN Center now with the very latest news about some household products that might actually do more harm than good, huh?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they might, Heidi. It's really interesting.
There are about 700 antibacterial products out there. You find it in your liquid soap, dishwashing detergent, all sorts of different products. What's really been of concern for some researchers is: Are these antibacterial products actually leading to the problem of antibiotic resistance out there? We've heard about antibiotic resistance, where certain organisms don't respond to antibiotics at all. And the question is: Are these products contributing to that somehow?
So, researchers from Tuffs University decided to put it to the test. They actually examined 38 households in Boston and in Cincinnati, and looked at households that either used two or more of these products or don't use any of these products at all. And this is what they found: No increase in superbugs if using the antibacterial -- these superbugs again being the bugs that are resistant to antibiotics. No difference, however, in the levels of bacteria either; again, compared between households who use these antibacterials and households who don't. And the most concerning thing really, a high level of antibiotic resistance in both groups.
So, antibiotic resistance a real concern out there, but probably not as a result of these household products.
Important to remember, there are some pros of using these antibacterial products as well. Take a look at some of the pros of using them. They are safe and effective. They are not the cause of antibiotic resistance. They can say that more definitively now as a result of this study.
Resistance is more due to the use and overuse of antibiotics. That's the actual medication you take as opposed to these products. And these products are particularly important in the care of sick children, people who are sick around the house. Heidi, you and I have talked so many times about hand washing, hand washing either with antibacterial products or other products do it. They can cut down on disease and other illness -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, very good. Thanks so much, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Bacteria>
