Patch Test with Chlorhexidine: A Six-year Patch Testing

Abstract

In a six-year period (1977-1982), 2779 patients in the department of plastic surgerywere patch tested with 0.1% chlorhexidinegluconate and 0.1% benzalkonium chloridewhich are widely used as local antiseptics, andpositive reactions were obtained in 10.3% tochlorhexidine, 12.6% to benzalkonium, and 6.8% to both chlorhexidine and benzalkoniumrespectively.
In one of these patients, the reaction tochlorhexidine was strong positive, but in othersweak reactions were observed and most of thereactions have been considered irritant.
It was suggested that chlorhexidine gluconatewas a safe remedy for prevention of skin infections.