Effect of chlorhexidine/EDTA/Tris against bacterial isolates from clinical specimens.

Chlorhexidine/EDTA/Tris was more active compared with chlorhexidine against the following species of organisms: Acinetobacter species, Citrobacter species, Enterobacter species, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Providence species, Pseudomonas species, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus faecalis, when tested in isosensitest agar. The addition of 20% serum to the medium reduced its effectiveness mainly against Providence species, Proteus species, and Streptococcus faecalis. However, the potential for this solution as a bladder instillation or topical antiseptic should be considered because of its reduced side effects compared with chlorhexidine alone, and its increased general effectiveness against all isolates tested.