Antimicrobial vs Antibacterial: What is the Difference?

In today’s world, the terms “antimicrobial” and “antibacterial” are often used synonymously, but their meanings are different. As industries from healthcare to consumer goods increasingly rely on these agents to ensure safety and hygiene, a clear understanding of antimicrobial vs antibacterial is important. Whether one is developing a new disinfectant or testing a skincare product, knowing how such agents work is essential. Ensuring they meet the regulatory standards is what determines the difference between a product that just claims to work and the product that actually provides relevant protection.

What Is Antimicrobial?

Antimicrobial agents are representatives of a wide group of active substances against bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Their action can be to either kill microbes(biocidal action) or inhibit growth (biostatic action). Antimicrobials are versatile and are manufactured in various forms such as drugs, disinfectants and coatings on medical devices.

What Is Antibacterial?

On the contrary, antibacterial agents are a part of antimicrobials that essentially target bacteria. Antibacterial agent’s activity mainly covers preventing bacterial infection by a method of killing or inhibiting their multiplication. Like antimicrobials, the use of antibacterial products is common in healthcare and consumer products including hand sanitizers, soaps and for cleaning of surfaces.

Difference Between Antimicrobial and Antibacterial

The difference between antimicrobial vs antibacterial lies in their scope and action.

Spectrum of Activity: While the action of antibacterial agents is selective for bacteria, the actions of antimicrobial agents is not selective and may act against bacteria, fungi, viruses and many other microorganisms.

Application: Antibacterials like antibiotics or hand sanitizers would be commonly applied to products where bacterial contamination is a concern. Antimicrobials would be applied in situations where multiple types of microbes could be a concern, for example disinfectants for medical equipment or preservatives in pharmaceuticals.

This differentiation is significant when choosing what type of product needs to be used for the proper application, be it healthcare, industrial or personal hygiene.

Importance of Antimicrobial and Antibacterial Testing

The distinction between antimicrobial vs antibacterial lies in their scope of action— antimicrobial agents are products that are effective against a wide array of microorganisms.  Antibacterial agents are products that are effective, especially against bacteria. Antimicrobial and antibacterial testing holds importance in ensuring product safety and efficacy. 

The testing provides data about the antimicrobial and antibacterial products’ performance. Testing protocols span from minimum inhibitory concentration to zone of inhibition assays and represent standard protocols utilized in defining the effectiveness of an antimicrobial. 

The testing also ensures the product compliance with regulatory requirements set by FDA, EPA and the European Medicines Agency. Testing will confirm whether these products prevent relevant infection or contamination effectively.

Antimicrobial test methods

•  EN 1650 – EN 1650 test evaluates the fungicidal or yeasticidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics intended for use in food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas.  
• AATCC 174 – Test method to determine the antimicrobial activity of new carpet materials.
• ASTM G29 – ASTM G29 test method determines the efficacy of plastic films integrated with anti-algae additives to resist the growth of surface-growing algae.
• EN 13610: 2002 – Determination of virucidal activity of disinfectant against bacteriophages used in food industry, domestic areas and other industries.

Antibacterial test methods

• EN 1276 – EN 1276 is a quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of the bactericidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics. This is particularly useful across the food industry, domestic and institutional sectors.
• ASTM G22 – The ASTM G22 standard specifies a qualitative test method for determining the antibacterial resistance of additives impregnated in plastic materials.
• ISO 20743 – ISO 20743 is a ‘quantitative test’ used to determine the antibacterial activity of all antibacterial textile products. It is designed to test the ability of fabrics that have been treated with antimicrobial agents to prevent microbial growth and kill microorganisms. 

Pros and Cons of Antimicrobial and Antibacterial Agents

The antimicrobial vs antibacterial comparison extends to understanding their advantages and limitations:

Pros of Antimicrobial Agents: It acts against a wide range of microorganisms, offering protection.

Cons of Antimicrobial Agents: Since it is applied so widely, it pollutes the environment and may contribute to resistance.

Pros of Antibacterial Agents: These agents were developed with the particular goal of combating bacterial infections. It reduces the risk of affecting beneficial microorganisms other than bacteria, as their focus is solely on bacteria.

Cons of Antibacterial Agents: They are not effective against viruses, fungi or parasites. Also, antibiotic-resistant bacteria develop when antibacterial agents are used excessively. 

Understanding antimicrobial vs antibacterial along with antifungal and antiseptic agents is vital for their appropriate use in healthcare, industry and everyday life. These agents each serve a unique purpose in fighting infections and controlling microbial growth, but their effectiveness must be proven through rigorous testing.

Testing is not just about compliance but also covers both safety and efficacy for end-users when companies develop products with these agents. Microbe Investigations Switzerland(MIS) offers state-of-the-art laboratory testing services for antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic testing and validation to meet regulatory and safety requirements. Contact us to ensure the reliability of your products with a wide range of testing services.