Antibacterial agents are often seen as a triumphant technique in the struggle against bacteria, and many wrongly believe that antibacterial agents are permanent to bacteria, and that once they are “middled”, the bacteria will never rise again. This is, however, a far-reaching and scientific error, and today we will look into it.
The antibacterial family is large and diverse in composition, with different mechanisms of action. Common alcohol antibacterial agents render bacteria inactivated by their ability to mutilate protein condensate; chlorine-containing antibacterial agents are “one-shot” by increasing oxidation, breaking through the cytowalls and membranes of bacteria and causing the loss of their contents. In the daily life scene, the use of alcoholic cotton balls to wipe the screen of a mobile phone allows for the rapid removal of the surface-contaminated fungus of coli and golden raisins; chlorine disinfectants are placed in the pool, which protects swimpers from the health risks posed by bacteria. These immediate effects give people a visual sense of the strength of antibacterial agents and can easily give rise to the illusion that bacteria will be completely eliminated and never reborn.
But actually, bacteria are far stronger than they think. Many antibacterial agents only temporarily suppress or kill bacteria. In the case of antibiotics, for example, it is a large category of antibacterial agents, and when bacteria are exposed to antibiotics below lethal levels, some bacterial individuals may survive through their own special defence mechanisms. These “spillfish” quickly adjust their genetic expression, activate a range of resistant genes, create resistance to antibiotics, and enter a kind of “sleeping” lurch. Once suitable in the external environment, such as reduced antibacterial concentrations and nutrient abundance, they are like awakened “sleepers”, re-emergence, re-emergence and greater drug resistance pose great challenges for follow-up treatment and prevention.
In terms of the bacterial living environment, antibacterial agents are very difficult to achieve full-scale, non-lethal coverage. In the hospital wards, despite frequent use of antibacterial cleaning agents to wipe the surface of objects, some hidden corners, such as gaps in the bed, walls, ventilation pipes, etc., make antibacterial agents difficult to reach and allow bacteria to live peacefully in these “venom havens”. Even in already treated areas, antibacterials volatilize, degrade, diminish their efficacy and the bacteria recover. A small amount of bacteria remaining in the family kitchen, even if freshly washed and dried, may re-activate at a suitable temperature and humidity, contaminating new foods.
In addition, there is an amazing phenomenon of “mutual assistance” between bacteria — group perception. When the number of bacterial groups reaches a certain threshold, they communicate and coordinate their behaviour. Some bacteria, after having been hit by antibacterial agents, send a signal to their immediate counterparts through a group sense, and when the bacteria receive a signal, together they change their physiological state, such as the gestation of some protective substances into biofilms. Biological membranes, like a strong “salvation” of bacteria, not only prevent the infiltration of antibacterial agents, but also allow bacteria to share nutrients in them and to resist adverse conditions, making it more difficult for antibacterial agents to completely destroy them and providing a hotbed for their revival.
It is important to recognize that antibacterials are not permanent enemies. On the one hand, when using anti-bacterial drugs for the treatment of infection, medical workers cannot use them on an experiential basis at their own discretion, relying on the precision of the drug-sensitive tests, strictly controlling the course of treatment and avoiding bacteria from producing resistance. On the other hand, in everyday life, the use of anti-bacterial products to clean the environment and care for the body must be carried out on a regular and continuous basis, and it must not be used lightly at short notice, in conjunction with good hygiene practices, such as hand-washing and ventilation, in order to be truly effective in preventing and controlling bacterial hazards.
Although powerful, antibacterial agents are by no means a “magic spell” to keep bacteria alive. It is only by addressing the limitations of bacteria’ survival intelligence and antibacterial agents in a multi-pronged manner that they can be at the forefront of this enduring battle with bacteria and protect their health.
