J. Cosmet. Sci., 63, 133–137 (March/April 2012) 133 UVc-irradiation sublethal stress does not alter antibiotic susceptibility of staphylococci (MRSA, MSSA, and coagulase-negative staphylococci) to β-lactam, macrolide, and fl uoroquinolone antibiotic agents YASUNORI MAEDA, COLIN E. GOLDSMITH, WILSON A. COULTER, B. CHERIE MILLAR, JAMES S. G. DOOLEY, COLM J. LOWERY, ANNE LOUGHREY, PAUL J. ROONEY, DAVID A. MCDOWELL, MOTOO MATSUDA, and JOHN E. MOORE, Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory, Department of Bacteriology, Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AD, Northern Ireland, UK (Y.M., C.E.G., B.C.M., A.L., P.J.R., J.E.M.) School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK (Y.M, J.S.G.D., C.J.L., J.E.M.) School of Dentistry, Queen’s University of Belfast, Royal Group of Hospitals, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6BP Northern Ireland, UK (W.A.C.) Food Microbiology Research Group, School of Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland, UK (D.A.MCD.) and Laboratory of Molecular Biology, School of Environmental Health Sciences, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229, Japan (M.M.). Accepted for publication September 21, 2011. Synopsis Skin tanning, either by exposure to natural sunlight or through use of UV sunbeds, has become a popu- lar practice in the US, where it is estimated that approximately 1 million times per day someone in the US uses UV radiation for skin tanning, equating to 30 million Americans (circa 10% of the US popula- tion) who use a tanning bed. As well as exposing the host to periods of UV radiation, such practices also expose commensal skin bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, to such UV radiation. Previous work has indicated that environmental stresses on bacteria may lead to an upregulation of stress responses, in an attempt for the organism to combat the applied stress and remain viable. UV light may act as an environmental stress on bacteria, and so it was the aim of this study to examine the effect of UVc light on the antibiotic susceptibility of commensal skin bacteria, to determine if UV radiation would increase Address all correspondence to John E. Moore at jemoore@niphl.dnet.co.uk.