This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Uncontrolled use of triclosan may promote nasal colonization of S. Aureus
Unrestricted use of triclosan may lead to nasal colonization of Staphylococcus aureus, as well as the binding of S. aureus to human proteins, according to recent study results.
“The biocide triclosan is used in a vast number of personal care products, including soaps, toothpastes, kitchen surfaces, clothes, and medical equipment,” researchers wrote in mBio. “Despite recent reviews of triclosan’s potential impact on public health, it is still used widely and faces minimal regulation in the United States; as a result, triclosan is accumulating in the environment, as well as in human bodies.”
In the study, researchers collected samples of nasal secretions from 90 healthy adults and quantified the levels of triclosan using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The investigators found that 37 participants (41%) had detectable levels (≥1.75 nm) of triclosan in their nasal fluids. They further analyzed the potential effect of triclosan in nasal secretions and the colonization of S. aureus by swabbing the nostrils of participants. Mannitol salt sugar was used for the detection of S. aureus, which allowed the researchers to determine a positive correlation between the presence of triclosan in nasal secretions and S. aureus colonization.
Although participants without triclosan had S. aureus carriage rates of 32%, and those with levels <175 nm had S. aureus rates of 27%, the researchers found that 64% of those with triclosan levels >176 nm in their nasal fluids were colonized with S. aureus. Significantly more participants with triclosan levels >176 nm were colonized with S. aureus vs. those with 175 nm or less (P<.01).
Additional analyses indicated that triclosan facilitates the binding of S. aureus to human proteins such as collagen, fibronectin and keratin, as well as plastic and glass surfaces.
“Our data demonstrate the unintended consequences of unregulated triclosan use, and contribute to the growing body of research demonstrating inadvertent effects of triclosan on the environment and human health,” the researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.