title: Comparison of chlorhexidine and tincture of iodine for skin antisepsis in preparation for blood sample collection.
abstract: Rates of contamination of blood cultures obtained when skin was prepared with iodine tincture versus chlorhexidine were compared. For iodine tincture, the contamination rate was 2.7%; for chlorhexidine, it was 3.1%. The 0.41% difference is not statistically significant. Chlorhexidine has comparable effectiveness and is safer, cheaper, and preferred by staff, so it is an alternative to iodine tincture.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, Illinois 62781, USA. barenfanger@mhsil.com
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barenfanger
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawhorn
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Verhulst
mesh_terms: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D000985:Antisepsis / Q000379:methods*; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine; D012867:Skin
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D007455:Iodine; D002710:Chlorhexidine