Effect of daily chlorhexidine bathing on the acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a medical intensive care unit with methicillin-resistant S aureus endemicity
Daily chlorhexidine bathing resulted in a significantly decreasing trend of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquisition rates, irrespective of increased MRSA prevalence rates in a medical intensive care unit with MRSA endemicity. There was no shift of chlorhexidine-resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains during a 16-month chlorhexidine bathing period. Further determination of bactericidal activity of chlorhexidine would be needed.