<p>The objective of this study was to assess the association between previous antibiotic use, particularly long-term prophylaxis, and occurrence of subsequent resistant infections in children with index infections due to extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae We also investigated the concordance of index and subsequent isolates. Extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella spp. isolated from normally sterile sites of patients aged &lt;22 years were collected along with associated clinical data from four freestanding pediatric centers. Subsequent isolates were categorized as concordant if the species, resistance determinants, and fumC/fimH (E. coli) or tonB (K. pneumoniae) type were identical to the index isolate. In total, 323 patients had 396 resistant isolates; 45 (14%) patients had ≥1 subsequent resistant infection, totaling 73 subsequent resistant isolates. The median time between index and first subsequent infection was 123 days (interquartile range 43, 225). In multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses, patients were 2.07 times as likely to have a subsequent resistant infection (95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 3.87) if they received prophylaxis in the 30 days prior to the index infection. In 26 (58%) patients, all subsequent isolates were concordant with their index isolate and 7 (16%) additional patients had at least 1 concordant subsequent isolate. In 12 (71%) of 17 patients with E. coli ST131-associated type 40-30, all subsequent isolates were concordant. Subsequent extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant infections are relatively frequent and are most commonly due to bacterial strains concordant with the index isolate. Further study is needed to assess the role prophylaxis plays in these resistant infections.</p>

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Bacteraemia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children. Our objective was to assess whether daily bathing in chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) compared with standard bathing practices would reduce bacteraemia in critically ill children.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>In an unmasked, cluster-randomised, two-period crossover trial, ten paediatric intensive-care units at five hospitals in the USA were randomly assigned a daily bathing routine for admitted patients older than 2 months, either standard bathing practices or using a cloth impregnated with 2% CHG, for a 6-month period. Units switched to the alternative bathing method for a second 6-month period. 6482 admissions were screened for eligibility. The primary outcome was an episode of bacteraemia. We did intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier NCT00549393).</p>

<p><strong>FINDINGS: </strong>1521 admitted patients were excluded because their length of stay was less than 2 days, and 14 refused to participate. 4947 admissions were eligible for analysis. In the ITT population, a non-significant reduction in incidence of bacteraemia was noted with CHG bathing (3·52 per 1000 days, 95% CI 2·64-4·61) compared with standard practices (4·93 per 1000 days, 3·91-6·15; adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 0·71, 95% CI 0·42-1·20). In the PP population, incidence of bacteraemia was lower in patients receiving CHG bathing (3·28 per 1000 days, 2·27-4·58) compared with standard practices (4·93 per 1000 days, 3·91-6·15; aIRR 0·64, 0·42-0·98). No serious study-related adverse events were recorded, and the incidence of CHG-associated skin reactions was 1·2 per 1000 days (95% CI 0·60-2·02).</p>

<p><strong>INTERPRETATION: </strong>Critically ill children receiving daily CHG bathing had a lower incidence of bacteraemia compared with those receiving a standard bathing routine. Furthermore, the treatment was well tolerated.</p>

<p><strong>FUNDING: </strong>Sage Products, US National Institutes of Health.</p>