A multimodality approach to prevent catheter-related bloodstream infections: the role of chlorhexidine-alcohol as a skin antiseptic before intravascular catheter insertion

Health care-associated infection is an increasing threat to patient safety. Over 400,000 patients in the intensive care units (ICUs) and 1.2 million patients outside the ICUs were affected by hospital care-associated infections, with >30,000 deaths attributed to hospital care-associated bloodstream infections in United States in 2002 (1). Intravascular catheters play a pivotal role in the management of both ICU and non-ICU patients, but inadequate infection control precautions in using these devices may lead to catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) resulting in prolonged hospital stay and excessive mortality (2). As such, having the best strategy to prevent CR-BSI has a potential huge benefit on both patient outcome and healthcare cost (3).