title: Efficacy evaluation of a 4% chlorhexidine gluconate as a full-body shower wash.
abstract: A 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (Xttrium Laboratories, Chicago, Ill.) was used in a shower bath application to evaluate its merits in reducing resident skin microorganisms. Five volunteers completed a 14-day microbial stabilization period, a 7-day baseline period, and a 5-day test period. Subjects followed a standard protocol, performed five shower washes and were sampled at both the abdominal and inguinal regions immediately after the shower wash as well as at 3 and 6 hours later on days 1, 2, and 5. Chlorhexidine gluconate provided significant microbial reductions from baseline, with greater reductions noted as the study progressed. Use of chlorhexidine gluconate in a shower wash application in conjunction with a preoperative skin-preparation procedure may reduce the probability of surgically associated infections.
authors.affiliation: BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Bozeman, MT 59715.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Paulson
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D000336:Aerosols; D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001494:Baths; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006119:Groin; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine