COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF SURGICAL SCRUB PREPARATIONS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 146  (1) , 63-65
Abstract
The efficacy of 0.75% available povidone-iodine scrub solution, 4% chlorhexidine gluconate detergent solution and 3% hexachlorophene emulsion against resident and transient flora of the hand was compared using 2 currently accepted study designs. Chlorhexidine gluconate produced the greatest initial reductions against resident flora, followed by povidone-iodine and hexachlorophene, respectively. In subsequent washings, all 3 treatments further reduced the flora, chlorhexidine giving the greatest reduction on any test day. On gloved hands, there was significant regrowth following the use of povidone-iodine; there was no such significant regrowth on gloved hands which has been washed with chlorhexidine gluconate or hexachlorophene. Against transient flora, chlorhexidine gluconate gave the lowest over-all counts, followed by povidone-iodine and hexachlorophene, respectively. The reductions in bacteria counts increased following the repetitive use of chlorhexidine; no such trend was noted with povidone-iodine or hexachlorophene.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: