2% chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated washcloths

2% chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated washcloths are a topical antiseptic intervention used for daily bathing to reduce the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in healthcare settings. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) is a broad-spectrum biguanide antiseptic that acts by binding to the negatively charged bacterial cell wall and disrupting the cytoplasmic membrane, leading to the leakage of intracellular components and subsequent cell death. In a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted at Baycrest Health Sciences, this protocol was evaluated in complex continuing care patients to prevent the acquisition of MRSA. While the intervention demonstrated a 71% reduction in MRSA colonization incidence in the study group, the results did not reach statistical significance due to low event numbers. This intervention is considered a combination of a pharmaceutical antiseptic agent and a medical device delivery system.

Other names

CHG antiseptic body cleanser2% CHG-impregnated antiseptic washclothsCHG bathing protocol