Resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds in human and animal pathogens in recent decades: A systematic review ; Resistencia a compuestos de amonio cuaternario en patógenos humanos y animales en las últimas décadas: una revisión sistemática ; Resistência a compostos quaternário de amônio em patógenos humanos e animais nas últimas décadas: uma revisão sistemática

Introduction: Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have been available since 1908 and are widely used as sanitizers in diverse environments. However, the use of subinhibitory concentrations of QACs has been related to the development of microbial resistance. Material and methods: In this study, based on a theoretical survey in biomedical literature databases following the guidelines of the Cochrane handbook, an analysis of the current situation of resistance to QACs in bacteria of medical and veterinary interest was carried out. After selection within the 1996 articles found in the literature search, 7 studies that evaluated the profile of susceptibility to benzalkonium chloride in pathogenic bacteria were included. Results:The analysis of the studies revealed that among potential human and animal pathogens, resistance to QACs is most investigated in Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. In these species, in some isolates, concomitant resistance to QACs and clinically relevant antimicrobials was detected. A single study showed resistance in Gram-positive bacteria, revealing that Enterococcus faecium has a high potential to become resistant to QACs. Among the mechanisms of resistance to QACs, the presence of the qacE gene stands out, which was reported in three of the included studies. Conclusion: Despite the relevance of resistance to QACs among pathogenic bacteria, few studies have been conducted to monitor this event. Thus, negligence in the epidemiological surveillance of resistance to these sanitizers will certainly impact their effectiveness in the near future. ; Introducción: los compuestos de amonio cuaternario (QAC) están disponibles desde 1908 y se utilizan ampliamente como desinfectantes en diversos entornos. Sin embargo, el uso de concentraciones subinhibitorias de QAC se ha relacionado con el desarrollo de resistencia microbiana. Material y métodos: en este estudio, a partir de un relevamiento teórico en bases de datos de literatura biomédica siguiendo los ...