Effectiveness of alcohol-based handrub vs handwashing with soap and water

Abstract

Introduction: The effectiveness of alcohol-based handrub containing 80% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol 75%, as an alternative to handwashing with plain soap and water is the objective of global challenge for the safety of the patient, "Clean Care is Safer Care".

Objective: To measure effectiveness on removing germs of Alcohol-based handrub proposed by the World Health Organization. Materials and methods: We included 103 health workers, 17.5% physicians and 82.5% nurses who worked in a hospital. 332 samples were taken before and after each technique

Results: 28.3% samples were identified coloni forming units before handwashing and 15.3% in the posterior (p=0.234), with alcohol-based handrub in the sample previous 25.6% and after the hygiene 2.4% (p= 0.000). Coagulase-negative staphylococci were identified in 25.9% and 2.1% gram negative samples, in 4 cases was isolated Enterobacter sp. The alcohol-based handrub was effective when calculated before and handrubbing (RR 0.10 CI 0.02-0.39) when compared with the technique handwashing with soap and water (RR 0.12 CI 0.03- 0.5). The technique of handwashing was not effective (RR 0.71 CI 0.43-1.18)

Conclusion: Alcohol-based handrub prepared using the suggested recipe by the World Health Organization is more effective in removing germs than handwashing with soap