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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 10, 2025

Contact Hypersensitivity as a Murine Model of Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Contact Hypersensitivity as a Murine Model of Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Published on: September 26, 2022

Chlorhexidine-Induced Contact Anaphylaxis.

Federico Sandoval Morales¹, Fabien Pelletier¹, François Aubin¹

¹Dermatology Department, Allergy Unit, Besançon University Hospital, Besançon, FRA.

|August 27, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Severe perioperative anaphylaxis can be triggered by chlorhexidine, a common antiseptic. Increased vigilance and preoperative screening are crucial for identifying patients at risk and preventing potentially fatal reactions to this widely used agent.

Keywords:

allergy skin testing allergy symptoms chlorhexidine chlorhexidine allergy contact hypersensitivity perioperative anaphylaxis

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Area of Science:

Anesthesiology
Allergy and Immunology
Surgical Safety

Background:

Chlorhexidine is a widely used antiseptic with broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties.
Repeated exposure to chlorhexidine can lead to sensitization, causing hypersensitivity reactions.
Perioperative anaphylaxis is a rare but severe complication, with chlorhexidine increasingly identified as a trigger.

Observation:

A 72-year-old woman experienced severe anaphylaxis during surgery after preoperative skin antisepsis with chlorhexidine.
The patient developed bronchospasm, refractory hypotension, and oxygen desaturation post-anesthesia.
Intensive care admission was required, with elevated serum tryptase confirming anaphylaxis.

Findings:

Allergy investigations confirmed chlorhexidine as the allergen, with positive skin tests and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE).
Tests for other potential perioperative agents were negative.
Genetic testing ruled out mast cell disorders and hereditary alpha-tryptasemia.

Implications:

This case highlights the severe potential of chlorhexidine-induced perioperative anaphylaxis.
Clinicians need heightened awareness of chlorhexidine as an allergen, especially with potential for delayed sensitization.
Preoperative screening and avoidance of chlorhexidine are essential to mitigate risks and improve patient safety.