In intensive care and bone marrow transplantation settings, daily bathing with chlorhexidine wash cloths reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infection.

Context Hospital-acquired blood stream infections (BSI) remain as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units (ICUs) and other high-risk settings. Incidence rates vary considerably, depending on factors such as patient characteristics, type of invasive procedures, infection control practices, definitions and duration of hospital stay. Recently reported BSI rates in intensive care settings range between 0.28 and 22 per 1000 ICU patient-days 2 and mortality may be as high as 48%. Interventions to reduce the incidence of BSI have had some success but it is important to explore other strategies.