Effect of chlorhexidine and benzalkonium chloride on bacterial biofilm formation.

The study showed that chlorhexidine and benzalkonium chloride inhibited biofilm formation of different bacterial species but were able to induce biofilm development for Staph. epidermidis at sub-MICs. The study suggests that sublethal exposure to cationic antiseptics may contribute to the persistence of staphylococci through biofilm induction. Letters in Applied Microbiology 2007;45:652-6.