Chlorhexidine Anaphylaxis Masquerading as Septic Shock

Chlorhexidine is a commonly used antiseptic and disinfectant in the health-care setting. Its usage has increased in recent years with intensive campaigns and infection control guidelines to combat hospital-acquired infections. As a result, patients and health-care workers (HCW) are exposed to increasing chlorhexidine usage. In recent years, adverse reactions to chlorhexidine ranging from allergic contact dermatitis, photosensitivity, fixed drug eruptions, urticaria and anaphylactic shock have been reported. Most have been isolated case reports on adverse reactions occurring in Received: September 3, 2014 Accepted after revision: May 13, 2015 Published online: June 19, 2015 Correspondence to: Dr. Choon Chiet Hong University Orthopaedics, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery Cluster National University of Singapore, National University Health System 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119228 (Singapore) E-Mail choonchiet @ gmail.com © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel 1018–2438/15/1671–0016$39.50/0 www.karger.com/iaa Established Facts • Chlorhexidine allergy is increasingly prevalent as a result of increasing use in the health-care setting • Chlorhexidine anaphylactic shock is rare and has only been reported in healthy individuals