A new study finds that regular bathing of intensive care unit patients with antiseptic soap and application of antibiotic ointment can help significantly reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections and resulting deaths.

According to Consumer Reports, in the U.S. there are an estimated 1.7 million hospital infections and almost 100,000 deaths related to hospital infections every year.  The worst of these infections is the central-line infection. In such an infection, a bloodborne pathogen enters the body through a central line, which is a catheter attached to a large vein right outside the heart.  The central line is most commonly used in the ICU and its purpose is to get medication, nutrition, fluids, and other materials into the body fast. Unfortunately, they can spread bacteria throughout the body just as quickly.

The study focused on infections caused by the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  The Mayo Clinic describes MRSA infections as caused by an antibiotic-resistant strain of the staph infection. AFP points out that the results of this study can help reduce this type of lethal infection and may have a similar impact on other bloodborne infections.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on a randomized trial at 43 hospitals, which included 74 ICUs and 74,256 patients.  The study established a baseline for infections. Then, the researchers randomly assigned hospitals to a strategy for dealing with infections.

The three strategies were: 1) MRSA screening and isolation of patients that present with MRSA; 2) MRSA screening followed by isolation and targeted decolonization, or cleaning and antibiotic treatment, of the patients that present with MRSA; and 3) universal decolonization, or cleaning every patient regularly with antiseptic soap and antimicrobial cloths. Universal decolonization does not screen patients or target those with MRSA.

When the third strategy, universal decolonization, was applied as regular practice in the ICU, the researchers found a statistically significant reduction of 37 percent in cultures showing the presence of MRSA and a 44 percent reduction in all infections of the bloodstream.  This strategy was not significantly better at addressing MRSA over other blood infections, demonstrating that it is a suitable strategy for reducing all hospital-acquired infections.

While the results of this study are promising, there are barriers to implementation. AFP explains that there are currently nine states that mandate some form of screening.  Strategies using screening were shown to be less effective that universal decolonization. While those legislative mandates are in place, hospitals will be likely to continue screening and isolation.