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Review
. 2023 Apr 7;12(4):724.
doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12040724.

Personal Care Products as a Contributing Factor to Antimicrobial Resistance: Current State and Novel Approach to Investigation

Giulia Caioni  1 , Elisabetta Benedetti  1 , Monia Perugini  2 , Michele Amorena  2 , Carmine Merola  2
Affiliations
Review

Personal Care Products as a Contributing Factor to Antimicrobial Resistance: Current State and Novel Approach to Investigation

Giulia Caioni et al. Antibiotics (Basel). .

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the world's industrialized nations' biggest issues. It has a significant influence on the ecosystem and negatively affects human health. The overuse of antibiotics in the healthcare and agri-food industries has historically been defined as a leading factor, although the use of antimicrobial-containing personal care products plays a significant role in the spread of AMR. Lotions, creams, shampoos, soaps, shower gels, toothpaste, fragrances, and other items are used for everyday grooming and hygiene. However, in addition to the primary ingredients, additives are included to help preserve the product by lowering its microbial load and provide disinfection properties. These same substances are released into the environment, escaping traditional wastewater treatment methods and remaining in ecosystems where they contact microbial communities and promote the spread of resistance. The study of antimicrobial compounds, which are often solely researched from a toxicological point of view, must be resumed considering the recent discoveries, to highlight their contribution to AMR. Parabens, triclocarban, and triclosan are among the most worrying chemicals. To investigate this issue, more effective models must be chosen. Among them, zebrafish is a crucial study system because it allows for the assessment of both the risks associated with exposure to these substances as well as environmental monitoring. Furthermore, artificial intelligence-based computer systems are useful in simplifying the handling of antibiotic resistance data and speeding up drug discovery processes.

Keywords: additives; antimicrobial resistance; artificial intelligence; machine learning; parabens; personal care products; triclocarban; triclosan; zebrafish.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biocide and the onset of antimicrobial resistance: summary of the main mechanisms.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The use of zebrafish in the study of AMR.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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