Antibiotic and biocide resistance in bacteria: comments and conclusions

Research on antibiotics and biocides has traditionally proceeded along separate lines. The reasons for this divergence are not difficult to find. Antibiotics are used predominantly for the treatment of bacterial infections in humans and animals, whereas biocides are employed for their antiseptic, disinfectant and/or preservative properties. The former group relies on selective toxicity for their activity, although this does not imply that they are without side effects on human and animal cells. Selective toxicity, on the other hand, is not a prerequisite for the use of biocides, although their actual and potential toxicity should never be ignored.