Infection Control: The Efficacy of Daily Chlorhexidine Bathing for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections

This article provides a comprehensive review of the efficacy of daily chlorhexidine bathing in reducing healthcare-associated infections, bloodstream infections, and multidrug-resistant organisms among patients. The study found that CHG bathing was effective in reducing the risk of infections and was well-tolerated by patients.

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TOPIC – INFECTION CONTROL
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1
Huang, H.P., Chen, B., Wang, H.Y. and He, M., 2016. The efficacy of daily
chlorhexidine bathing for preventing healthcare-associated infections in
adult intensive care units. The Korean journal of internal
medicine, 31(6), p.1159.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27048258
11/03/2018 Healthcare
associated
infection increase
length of
hospitalisation
and medical costs
CHG bathing
reduces
nosocomial
infections
among patients
Lower risks of
VAP, CAUTI and
MRSA
acquisition are
related to CHG
bathing
2
O'horo, J.C., Silva, G.L., Munoz-Price, L.S. and Safdar, N., 2012. The
efficacy of daily bathing with chlorhexidine for reducing healthcare-
associated bloodstream infections: a meta-analysis. Infection Control &
Hospital Epidemiology, 33(3), pp.257-267.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-
hospital-epidemiology/article/efficacy-of-daily-bathing-with-
chlorhexidine-for-reducing-healthcareassociated-bloodstream-
infections-a-metaanalysis/F41E1D335C43683F32A7C40A0A4D03DD
11/03/2018 Rates of BSI
reduced with CHG
use
Both CHG
washcloths and
liquid
preparation of
CHG had similar
effects
CHG bathing
was found to
save costs
3
Climo, M.W., Yokoe, D.S., Warren, D.K., Perl, T.M., Bolon, M., Herwaldt,
L.A., Weinstein, R.A., Sepkowitz, K.A., Jernigan, J.A., Sanogo, K. and
Wong, E.S., 2013. Effect of daily chlorhexidine bathing on hospital-
acquired infection. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(6), pp.533-
542.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23388005
11/03/2018 MDRO acquisition
reduces with daily
CHG bathing
Hospital
acquired
bloodstream
infections
reduce by daily
CHG bathing
CHG also
reduces BSI risk
among patients
admitted in ICU
4
Milstone, A.M., Elward, A., Song, X., Zerr, D.M., Orscheln, R., Speck, K.,
Obeng, D., Reich, N.G., Coffin, S.E., Perl, T.M. and Pediatric SCRUB Trial
Study Group, 2013. Daily chlorhexidine bathing to reduce bacteraemia
in critically ill children: a multicentre, cluster-randomised, crossover
trial. The Lancet, 381(9872), pp.1099-1106.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673612616870
12/03/2018 Bactremia
incidence was low
on using CHG
bathing
The treatment
was well
tolerated by
critically ill
patients
Lower rates of
CLABSI reported
among children
receiving CHG
bathing
5 Safdar, N., O’Horo, J.C., Ghufran, A., Bearden, A., Didier, M.E., Chateau,
D. and Maki, D.G., 2014. Chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing for
12/03/2018 Catheter
colonisation was
Rates of CRBSI
and CVC were
It was well
tolerated by
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Research Notes – CHCPOL003 Student Names:
prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infection: a meta-
analysis. Critical care medicine, 42(7), p.1703.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258905/
prevented by CHG
bathing
reduced by CHG
bathing
patients
6
Lin, M.Y., Lolans, K., Blom, D.W., Lyles, R.D., Weiner, S., Poluru, K.B.,
Moore, N., Hines, D.W., Weinstein, R.A. and Hayden, M.K., 2014. The
effectiveness of routine daily chlorhexidine gluconate bathing in
reducing Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase–producing
Enterobacteriaceae skin burden among long-term acute care hospital
patients. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 35(4), pp.440-442.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-
hospital-epidemiology/article/effectiveness-of-routine-daily-
chlorhexidine-gluconate-bathing-in-reducing-klebsiella-pneumoniae-
carbapenemaseproducing-enterobacteriaceae-skin-burden-among-
longterm-acute-care-hospital-patients/
689589FDFC7F8530243B369879A5BBB8
12/03/2018 Likelihood of skin
colonisation
reduced
KPC found on
patient skin at
axillary and
inguinal sites
Skin burden of
KPC reduced on
using CHG
bathing
7
Rupp, M.E., Cavalieri, R.J., Lyden, E., Kucera, J., Martin, M., Fitzgerald, T.,
Tyner, K., Anderson, J.R. and VanSchooneveld, T.C., 2012. Effect of
hospital-wide chlorhexidine patient bathing on healthcare-associated
infections. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 33(11), pp.1094-
1100.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23041806
12/03/2018 CHG bathing
prevents central
line related
bloodstream
infection
Infection that
occurs due to
multidrug-
resistant
organisms
reduce
Decrease in
C.difficile
infections were
observed on
bathing with
CHG
8
Graling, P.R. and Vasaly, F.W., 2013. Effectiveness of 2% CHG cloth
bathing for reducing surgical site infections. AORN journal, 97(5),
pp.547-551.
http://www.nursingplus.com/article/S0001-2092(13)00221-4/abstract
12/03/2018 Overall reduction
in infection on
use of 2% CHG
bath cloth
Reduction in
post-operative
infection of
organ space
Intervention
group
experienced less
frequent
emergency
surgery
9
Bass, P., Karki, S., Rhodes, D., Gonelli, S., Land, G., Watson, K., Spelman,
D., Harrington, G., Kennon, J. and Cheng, A.C., 2013. Impact of
chlorhexidine-impregnated washcloths on reducing incidence of
vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonization in hematology–oncology
patients. American journal of infection control, 41(4), pp.345-348.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22980512
13/03/2018 No reduction of
VRE acquisition
rates on use of
CHG washcloths
Effect of
terminal
cleaning or kind
of cleaning agent
had created an
impact
There was lack
of prolonged
intervention
period to notice
changes of CHG
washcloths
10 Quach, C., Milstone, A.M., Perpête, C., Bonenfant, M., Moore, D.L. and
Perreault, T., 2014. Chlorhexidine bathing in a tertiary care neonatal
13/03/2018 CLABSI rates
reduced during
Rates did not
reduce for
No adverse
reports were
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Research Notes – CHCPOL003 Student Names:
intensive care unit: impact on central line–associated bloodstream
infections. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 35(2), pp.158-163.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-
hospital-epidemiology/article/chlorhexidine-bathing-in-a-tertiary-care-
neonatal-intensive-care-unit-impact-on-central-lineassociated-
bloodstream-infections/09D91750E9CD581D99DAB91A60769AD7
intervention
period among
neonates during
CHG bathing
neonates who
were not given
CHG bathing
found and CHG
was well
tolerated
APC_Research Dip Nursing CHCPOL003_Nov 2017
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