The investigation of the effect of alcohol, bethadine, and bethadine after using alcohol on the prevalence of local infection

¯Abstract Background: Intravenous therapy is one of the most common treatments in hospitals. Infection is the most significant side effect of this treatment. Objective: Comparison of the effect of three methods of skin disinfection on prevalence rate of local infection resulting from peripheral veins catheterization. Methods: This quasi – experimental study was conducted on 100 patients hospitalized in CCU and heart wards of khatam-al-anbia hospital in three groups: alcohol (33), bethadine (34), and alcohol then bethadine (33) in Zahedan (2000). The skin of the patients was disinfected by especial antiseptic of that group prior to catheter insertion. After discharging the catheter, its tip was separated by means of sterile method and it was cultured in sheep blood agar media by semi-quantity method. Data was collected by means of laboratory reports and control sheet and analyzed by SPSS and Z test. Findings: The results indicated that the prevalence of local infection in the alcohol then bethadine was 0%. It was 9.1% and 11.76% in alcohol and bethadine groups, respectively, which Z test indicated a significant statistical correlation between the prevalence rate of infection in alcohol then bathadine group and alcohol group (P=0.038) and bathadine group (P=0.02). Conclusion: According to the findings of this research, disinfections of skin before insertion peripheral catheters by means of alcohol then bethadine is more effective in controlling local infection rather than sole alcohol or bethadine.