Abstract: Quaternary ammonium salt-based disinfectants （QASDs） are chemical disinfectant agents prepared with disinfectant quaternary ammonium compounds. They are cationic disinfectants with strong antibacterial activity and have diverse uses in a variety of fields such as public places, food processing, aquaculture and healthcare, playing a critical role in preventing the spread of environmental pathogenic microorganisms. Due to the irrational use of QASDs, bacteria have gradually become resistant to them, and the detection rate of resistant bacteria has increased substantially. The emergence of disinfectant resistance genes has exacerbated the mutual transmission of the QASDs resistant bacteria at the human-animal-environment interface. Bacteria can develop varying degrees of resistance to QASDs through different mechanisms such as generating biofilms, altering cell membrane permeability, active efflux systems, synthesizing degradative enzymes, changing target sites of action, and acquisition of genetic elements, posing a serious threat to human health and ecological environment. In this paper, the research progress on bacterial resistance to QASDs as well as corresponding detection methods and possible underlying mechanisms were reviewed to further clarify the influencing factors of bacterial resistance to QASDs, in hoping to provide references for scientific cognition and rational use of QASDs as well as effective control of bacterial resistance to QASDs.

Key words: bacteria, quaternary ammonium salt-based disinfectants, resistance