Comparative evaluation of surgical scrub preparations

Abstract

The efficacy of 0.75 per cent available povidone-iodine scrub solution, 4 per cent chlorhexidine gluconate detergent solution and 3 per cent hexachlorophene emulsion against resident and transient flora of the hand has been compared using two 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 three 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 had 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 either povidone-iodine or hexachlorophene.