We’ve all heard about antibiotic resistance, but is it also possible for bacteria to develop resistance to common disinfectants, like bleach, alcohol and soap?
I was reading this story and was sort of confused as to what was going on
We’ve all heard about antibiotic resistance, but is it also possible for bacteria to develop resistance to common disinfectants, like bleach, alcohol and soap?
I was reading this story and was sort of confused as to what was going on
my understanding is that disinfectants generally work by physically destroying undesirable organisms.
but Life Finds a Way™ and I guess not all bacterial spores are damaged by bleach. there are critters that can live in all kinds of hopelessly inhospitable environments, so why not bleach? it's a bummer that this one is really medically problematic though.
Yeah, bacterial spores are basically a specific defense and survival stage for bacteria that are resilient to pretty much everything, you gotta go for sterilization procedures to reliably get rid of them.