Use of 0.3% triclosan (Bacti-Stat) to eradicate an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a neonatal nursery

Hand Hygiene

“…In particular, changing the hand hygiene agent could be beneficial in institutions or hospital wards with a high workload and a high demand for hand hygiene when alcohol-based handrub is not available. 182,185,656,859 A change in the recommended hand hygiene agent could be deleterious, however, if introduced during winter in the northern hemisphere at a time of higher hand skin irritability and, in particular, if not accompanied by skin care promotion and availability of protective cream or lotion.…”

“…A few reports suggest that providing HCWs with a triclosan-containing preparation for hand antisepsis has led to decreased infections caused by MRSA. 181,182 Triclosan's lack of potent activity against Gram-negative bacilli has resulted in occasional reports of contaminated triclosan. 398 A recent study compared an antibacterial soap containing triclosan with a non-antibacterial soap and concluded that the former did not provide any additional benefit.…”

“…For example, several investigators have found that health care-associated acquisition of MRSA was reduced when the antimicrobial soap used for hygienic hand antisepsis was changed. 181,182 In one of these studies, endemic MRSA in a neonatal ICU was eliminated seven months after introduction of a new hand antiseptic agent (1% triclosan) while continuing all other infection control measures, including weekly active surveillance cultures. 181 Another study reported an MRSA outbreak involving 22 infants in a neonatal unit.…”

“…181 Another study reported an MRSA outbreak involving 22 infants in a neonatal unit. 182 Despite intensive efforts, the outbreak could not be controlled until a new antiseptic agent was added (0.3% triclosan) while continuing all previous control measures, which included the use of gloves and gowns, cohorting, and surveillance cultures. Casewell & Phillips 121 reported that increased handwashing frequency among hospital staff was associated with a decrease in transmission of Klebsiella spp.…”

Influence of methylation on the antibacterial properties of triclosan in Pasteurella multocida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa variant strains

“…Protocols for surgical handwashing involving wash scrubs containing triclosan have been evaluated (Pereira et al, 1997), and studies have found personnel handwashes formulated with triclosan to be mild yet effective, making such products ideal for general and high-risk areas within the healthcare setting (Zafar et al, 1995;Jones et al, 2000). A case study in which patient bathing solutions containing triclosan were used in a neonatal nursery to eradicate a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreak was reported by Zafar et al (1995). Triclosan has also been incorporated into products such as gloves (Mixon, 1999) the presence of triclosan in lakes and a river in Switzerland and reported that triclosan and its methyl derivative were only found in the lakes studied which had anthropogenic sources, while both were absent in a remote mountain lake.…”