Abstract: Objective: To analyze the effect of chlorhexidine gluconate solution as a universal decolonization strategy in pediatric ICU. Methods: Totally 1184 pediatric patients with bacteria monitored during hospitalization were analyzed retrospectively. The patients who did not receive the universal decolonization strategy from December 2013 to November 2016 were included in the control group. The patients who were performed the universal decolonization strategy from December 2016 to May 2019 were included in the experimental group. The general data of patients, the incidence, the type and location of bacteria, and the incidence of instrument related infection were compared between the two groups. Results: There were significant differences in hospitalization days and hospitalization expenses between the two groups. The incidence of colonized bacteria infection in the experiment group was decreased and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The lower respiratory tract was the main site of pathogen colonization. There was significant difference in the incidence of ventilator-related infection between the two groups (4.9‰, 1.98‰, P<0.05). Conclusion: The lower respiratory tract is the site with the highest detection rate of colonization bacteria. The universal decolonization strategy with chlorhexidine gluconate can reduce the incidence of colonization bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The universal decolonization strategy can be recommended in the management of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Key words: Chlorhexidine Gluconate; universal decolonization strategy; multidrug resistant bacteria