Evaluation of aseptic techniques and chlorhexidine on the rate of catheter-associated urinary-tract infection. Southampton Infection Control Team.

Aseptic techniques used together with chlorhexidine reduced the infection rate and prevented cross-infection in patients undergoing urinary-tract catheterisation. Infection of the bladder appears to have arisen by contamination of the catheter-meatal junction, at which site antiseptic prophylaxis in the presence of bathing was ineffective. Patients having short-term catheterisation should not be placed in baths, since wetting the perineum will contaminate the urethral meatus with mixed enterobacteria, predisposing the female patient in particular to infection.