By Julianne Horsley
Germs and bacteria are everywhere.
They’re on the door handles, on your face, even on your food. As the cold and flu season approaches, they’re growing rapidly, leading people to stock up on antibacterial products, especially parents of infants and small children.
“I have antibacterial soap in my kitchen, my bathroom, so that they can wash it off,” said Ashlan Poe, a parent and BYU student. “I don’t want [my baby] getting sick, I don’t want me getting sick, and passing it to her.”
Not everyone thinks that antibacterial soaps are safe. Many believe antibacterial soaps contribute to resistance against bacteria, but researchers found in a new study published by the International Journal of Microbiology Research, that antibacterial products don’t result in resistant strains of bacteria.
“We’ve looked at the data and they showed no negative effects,” said Dr. Gene Cole, a lead author in the study. “No increased resistance to the agents or antibiotics typically used to treat disease and so that’s good news. ”
Because researchers claim antibacterial soaps don’t contribute to resistance, they recommend everyone practice proper hand washing. Whether using antibacterial products or not, researchers stress personal hygiene to stay immune as the cold and flu season approaches.
