Reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections in the blood and marrow transplantation population: a review of the literature.

Healthcare-associated infections are a significant cause of patient morbidity and mortality. Most healthcare-associated bloodstream infections are related to the presence of central venous catheters and are called central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). A review of the literature showed a decrease in CLABSIs in intensive care units (ICUs) since the implementation of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This review demonstrated the effectiveness of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing toward reducing CLABSIs as well as infections from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci in this setting. A need exists for implementation of a similar intervention for patients undergoing blood and marrow transplantation, and CHG bathing would be a logical choice because of its proven efficacy in the ICU, its safety, and its cost affordability.