Multicenter Trial of Daily Chlorhexidine Bathing to Reduce Nosocomial Infections

MRSA Colonization, MRSA Infection, Nosocomial Bacteremia, VRE Colonization, VRE Infection

MRSA, VRE, BSI

To determine if daily bathing with chlorhexidine impregnated washcloths will reduce the incidence of MRSA and VRE within an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or ward setting.

This is a cluster randomized, crossover-controlled trial with wards as the units of randomization. The trial will predominantly take place in ICU's but may include any acute care ward that has active surveillance for MRSA and or VRE in place (i.e., Bone Marrow transplant units, Oncology wards, etc.) Units will be randomly assigned to utilize two bathing routines in a random order. Each bathing routine will be utilized on all admitted patients to the unit for a six month study period for a total study duration of 12 months. The two bathing routines will include either the use of the Comfort® Bath Washcloth System (control) or the use of 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate Cloth. Randomized units will either start with 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate Cloth for six months and then switch to Comfort™ Bath Washcloth for the remaining six month period or the reverse order. Data collection will include all surveillance and clinical cultures for MRSA and or VRE and all bloodstream infections.

United States