Still not sterile: viability-based assessment of the skin microbiome following pre-surgical application of a broad-spectrum antiseptic reveals transient pathogen enrichment and long-term recovery

Broad-spectrum antiseptics such as chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) have widespread use as pre-surgical tools to lower skin microbial burden and reduce the risk of surgical site infection. However, the short- and long-term effects of CHG on healthy skin microbial communities remain undefined due to the confounding effects of CHG binding with persistent bacterial DNA on the skin surface. Here, we aim to accurately characterize the immediate and …