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Safety of chlorhexidine gluconate used for skin antisepsis in the preterm infant

Journal of Perinatology volume 32, pages 4–9 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) is a widely used topical antiseptic that is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for skin cleansing before central venous catheter insertion in adults and children. Because of limited safety data, CHG is not recommended for use in children <2 months of age. CHG is, however, frequently used in Neonatal Intensive Care Units across the United States. Here, we will review the safety of CHG use in preterm infants.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Pranita Tamma for her contributions to the manuscript. This manuscript was supported by Grant number UL1 RR 025005 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, and its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of NCRR or NIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    A K Chapman & S W Aucott

  2. Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    A M Milstone

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    A M Milstone

  4. Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    A M Milstone

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  1. A K Chapman
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Correspondence to A K Chapman.

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AM receives grant support from the Sage Products. The rest of the authors (AC, SA) report no conflict of interest.

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Chapman, A., Aucott, S. & Milstone, A. Safety of chlorhexidine gluconate used for skin antisepsis in the preterm infant. J Perinatol 32, 4–9 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2011.148

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