New research shows providing wash cloths treated with a skin cleanser could reduce the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.

Researchers studied the effect of wash cloths treated with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and plain water in detainees at Dallas County Jail in transmission of the bacteria. The study was published in the December issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

“Detainees in U.S. jails are at high risk for skin infections caused by MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus." said Michael David, MD, PhD, a lead author of the study. “Our findings suggest a promising and inexpensive intervention that may decrease S. aureus colonization in this high-risk group.”

These infections take a significant financial toll in terms of healthcare costs because MRSA infections are expensive to treat and are often recurrent, the article said. 

The CHG wash cloths were responsible for a significant decrease in S. aureus hand and/or nose carriage.  Water-soaked wash cloths were almost as effective as the use of CHG washcloths at decreasing carriage of S. aureus, the study said.

Read the article.