Disinfection of vascular catheter connectors that are protected by antiseptic caps is unnecessary.
Kelsey M FillmanJonathan H RyderDaniel M BrailitaMark E RuppR Jennifer CavalieriPaul D FeyElizabeth L LydenRichard J HankinsPublished in: Infection control and hospital epidemiology (2023)
Bacterial colonization rates were similar between the catheter connectors cultured with antiseptic-containing caps alone and catheter connectors with antiseptic-containing caps cultured after a 5-second scrub with alcohol. This finding suggests that the use of antiseptic-containing caps precludes the need for additional disinfection.