title: [The use of a chlorhexidine-alcohol mixture as a hand rinse in a neonatal department].
abstract: Regular handwashing is considered to be a most important measure in the prevention of nosocomial infection. However, for practical reasons routine handwashing, before and after handling babies, is not strictly adhered to in the maternity nursery. As an alternative, more readily performed measure, regular handrinsing with an alcoholic chlorhexidine solution has been introduced. The results of a small study (performed as a student project), to evaluate the efficacy thereof in reducing the number of bacteria on the hands of nurses working in the nursery, are presented. Before and during use specimens were obtained from 10 nurses' hands using a sterile glove technique. The repeated use of the 0,5% chlorhexidine in 95% alcohol hand rinse was associated with significant short-term and long-term decreases in the number of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacilli and staphylococci cultured from hands.
mesh_terms: D002710:Chlorhexidine; D000431:Ethanol; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006225:Hand / Q000382:microbiology*; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D009726:Nurses; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D002710:Chlorhexidine
vernacular_title: Die gebruik van 'n chloorheksidien-alkohol-mengsel as handspoelmiddel in 'n neonatale afdeling.