1. Chlorhexidine-impregnated cloths to prevent skin and soft-tissue infection in Marine recruits: a cluster-randomized, double-blind, controlled effectiveness trial.
- Author
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Whitman TJ, Herlihy RK, Schlett CD, Murray PR, Grandits GA, Ganesan A, Brown M, Mancuso JD, Adams WB, and Tribble DR
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Chlorhexidine adverse effects, Disinfectants adverse effects, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Infection Control methods, Male, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolation & purification, Patient Compliance, Soft Tissue Infections epidemiology, Staphylococcal Skin Infections epidemiology, Textiles, Virginia epidemiology, Young Adult, Chlorhexidine administration & dosage, Disinfectants administration & dosage, Military Personnel, Soft Tissue Infections prevention & control, Staphylococcal Skin Infections prevention & control
- Abstract
Background: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) causes skin and soft-tissue infection (SSTI) in military recruits., Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)-impregnated cloths in reducing rates of SSTI and S. aureus colonization among military recruits., Design: A cluster-randomized (by platoon), double-blind, controlled effectiveness trial., Setting: Marine Officer Candidate School, Quantico, Virginia, 2007., Participants: Military recruits., Intervention: Application of CHG-impregnated or control (Comfort Bath; Sage) cloths applied over entire body thrice weekly., Measurements: Recruits were monitored daily for SSTI. Baseline and serial nasal and/or axillary swabs were collected to assess S. aureus colonization., Results: Of 1,562 subjects enrolled, 781 (from 23 platoons) underwent CHG-impregnated cloth application and 781 (from 21 platoons) underwent control cloth application. The rate of compliance (defined as application of 50% or more of wipes) at 2 weeks was similar (CHG group, 63%; control group, 67%) and decreased over the 6-week period. The mean 6-week SSTI rate in the CHG-impregnated cloth group was 0.094, compared with 0.071 in the control group (analysis of variance model rate difference, 0.025 ± 0.016; P = .14). At baseline, 43% of subjects were colonized with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), and 2.1% were colonized with MRSA. The mean incidence of colonization with MSSA was 50% and 61% (P = .026) and with MRSA was 2.6% and 6.0% (P = .034) for the CHG-impregnated and control cloth groups, respectively., Conclusions: CHG-impregnated cloths applied thrice weekly did not reduce rates of SSTI among recruits. S. aureus colonization rates increased in both groups but to a lesser extent in those assigned to the CHG-impregnated cloth intervention. Antecedent S. aureus colonization was not a risk factor for SSTI. Additional studies are needed to identify effective measures for preventing SSTI among military recruits., Clinical Trials Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00475930.
- Published
- 2010
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