Unintended Consequences of Antiseptics: Triclosan Induces Antibiotic Tolerance

Compounds with antimicrobial activity in consumer goods have increasingly been recognized to impose selective pressure on bacteria in the environment, influencing the activity of antimicrobial therapeutics. Triclosan, a polychlorinated aromatic compound that targets fatty acid synthesis, is one such compound that is found in common household items, such as toothpaste, shaving cream, and deodorants. Microbiologically relevant concentrations of triclosan are found in the urine of at least 10% of people in the U.S.

Researchers now describe experiments demonstrating that triclosan induces significant antibiotic tolerance in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. E. coli treated with 200 ng/mL (the minimum inhibitory concentration) of triclo…