EFFECTIVENESS OF CHLORHEXIDINE BATH, SALINE BATH, AND STANDARD BATH ON BACTERIAL COLONIZATION ON THE SKIN

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of the study was to determine whether bathing with 2% chlorhexidine or 0.9% saline or standard soap and water will reduce the bacterial colony count on skin effectively.

Methods: Quantitative approach with experimental design and consecutive sampling was used. The study was conducted among 102 children admitted in pediatric wards of Christian Medical College, Vellore. Swabs from axilla and groin were collected at 0 h, 2 h, and 24 h of intervention to determine the bacterial colony count in subjects.

Results: The results showed that, of 102 children, 73 (71.56%) of them had high axillary colony count and 69 (67.64%) of them had high groin colony count during admission. Majority 88.2% and 78% of them had colonization with coagulase-negative staphylococcus in the axilla and groin, respectively. There was no significant difference in the bacterial colony count in axilla at 2 and 24 h in all three groups. There was a significant difference in the bacterial colony count in groin at 2 h after the intervention in the chlorhexidine group, and the difference was not significant at 24 h. The colony count was not significantly different at 2 h post-intervention in saline and standard soap and water group but was statistically different in these groups at 24 h after the intervention.

Conclusion: Chlorhexidine has shown to be effective for a shorter duration and it can be adopted for children who are undergoing invasive procedures and preoperatively in surgical wards while continuing routine standard bath for all children which is considered to be cost effective too.