Impact of universal contact precautions and chlorhexidine bathing on the acquisition of carbapenem-resistant enterobacterales in the intensive care unit: a cohort study.

Background: For the prevention of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) acquisition in the intensive care unit (ICU), the effectiveness of universal contact precautions (UCP) and chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing is controversial.

Methods: With the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of UCP and CHG on CRE acquisition, this study was conducted in an ICU at a university-affiliated hospital in Seoul. Beginning in April 2017, all patients admitted to the ICU underwent weekly CRE screening and surveillance tests, and beginning in January 2018, UCP and CHG bathing were implemented for all patients.