What antimicrobial agents reduce microorganisms on patients’ skin?
Cutaneous or topical antiseptics must be active against resident and transient microorganisms on intact skin and reduce the number of microorganisms on the skin by mechanical removal, chemical action or both. Health care antiseptic formulations have a variety of modes and mechanisms—rapidity of antimicrobial activity, persistent or residual properties, demonstrating varying levels of toxicity. When selecting a product, consider safety and efficacy, quality of the evidence, ease of implementing, product availability, affordability and value. The ideal cutaneous antiseptic should have the following properties: Broad spectrum of activity Rapid bactericidal activity Persistence or residual properties Maintain its activity in the presence of organic matter Be nonirritating or have low allergic and/or toxic responses No or minimal systemic absorption. Cutaneous antiseptics can be placed into seven specific categories: antimicrobial soap, skin wound cleanser, skin wound protectant, skin antis
