Dust in the house can actually trigger antibiotic resistance

Without realizing it, every day the body is exposed to dust, pollution, and particles in the air that have the potential to carry disease. These pathogens stick to the surface of your skin and clothes and then carry them when you return home. Well, it turns out that pathogens from outside that mix with dust and particles in the house can give rise to bacteria that can trigger resistance to antibiotics. How is the explanation?

Dust can contain bacteria that promote resistance to antibiotics

A study conducted by a team from Northwestern University suggests it is possible that bacteria living in household dust can transmit genes that trigger antibiotic resistance.

Granted, most bacteria are usually harmless. However, from a study published in January 2020 in the journal PLOS Pathogens Thus, harmless bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance by mixing with bacteria from outside. This results in germs that were previously treatable becoming resistant to conventional antibiotics.

The research was conducted by taking 40 dust samples from various places that have different facilities such as fitness centers and recreation areas. The samples were placed in sterile plastic bags and stored in a dark room at room temperature.

The collected dust samples will be analyzed through observation of genetic material and chemical extraction. It appears that there are more than 180 genes in the dust that are resistant to antibiotics. Researchers then investigated the possibility of genes to transfer to other bacteria.

It should be noted, bacteria can share many different types of genes as long as the bacteria have a transposable element in their DNA as their activator. There are elements called integrons, plasmids, and transposons in bacteria that make it easier for bits of DNA to travel between microbes.

Bacteria share genes in two ways, namely by binary fission in which the bacteria divides in half and by horizontal gene transfer, in which the bacteria duplicates the gene and then exchanges copies with other bacteria.

However, the movement of bacteria to other bacteria does not always occur. This is because certain conditions also affect the movement of bacteria. New bacteria will share genes when subjected to stresses such as a dry room atmosphere, lack of nutrients, and temperatures that are too high or too low.

When this gene sharing occurs, the genes of the non-pathogenic dust bacteria will stick to the pathogenic bacteria and make them resistant to antibiotics.

The dangers of antibiotic resistance in the human body

Antibiotics are drugs designed to treat and prevent bacterial growth. When a person has been infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, the bacteria cannot be killed and will continue to grow.

Therefore, infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics can be very difficult or even untreatable. Usually, people affected by this infection require long hospitalization and are given alternative, stronger drugs.

With this resistance, the use of antibiotics which are often used as a treatment for various diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, until blood poisoning is no longer effective.

Antibiotic resistance is a health problem that is still a concern around the world. In fact, many advances in the medical world depend heavily on the use of antibiotics to fight infections and other chronic diseases.

Indeed, over time with increasingly sophisticated technology, workers in the health sector are constantly trying to find new antibiotics that can fight bacteria. However, bacteria are also always looking for ways to survive. One of them is through dust in the house which triggers antibiotic resistance.

Bacterial resistance can happen to anyone, but as a result it will be easier to attack people who do have chronic diseases.

Clean the dust at home to prevent bacteria that trigger antibiotic resistance

Bacterial infection can be caused by an unclean lifestyle. To avoid this, changing your lifestyle to be healthy is also very important. Some of them are injecting vaccines, washing your hands every time you go to the bathroom, traveling, and before processing food, and eating hygienic food.

However, it is not enough just to prevent yourself, you also have to routinely clean the house from disease-carrying dust. Also clean the corner of the house that contains the most bacteria, such as kitchens and toilets.

Don't forget to dry work surfaces, cutting boards, and other cooking utensils. The remaining water will help the remaining germs survive and reproduce.

Routinely wipe the surfaces of utensils such as desks, drawers and cupboards with a damp towel, then dry them again. Cleaning objects with fluids with antibacterial ingredients is not recommended because it will actually increase resistance to bacteria. Thus, you can avoid dust that triggers antibiotic resistance.