Question

Considering what you learned in our unit on evolution, why is the prevalent use of antibacterial soap a health concern?

Answer 1

The overuse of antibacterial soap can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Step-by-step explanation:

The prevalent use of antibacterial soap is a health concern due to several reasons:

1. Antibacterial soaps often contain the chemical triclosan, which can lead to the development of triclosan-resistant bacterial strains. This resistance renders triclosan useless in the long run as an antibacterial agent.
2. Bacteria can easily gain resistance to triclosan through a change in a single gene encoding the targeted enzyme in the bacterial fatty acid-synthesis pathway.
3. Other disinfectants with a less specific mode of action are less prone to engendering resistance because it would require more than a single genetic change.

Overall, the overuse of antibacterial soap can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which poses a threat to public health.