Comparison of an alcohol-based hand sanitation product with a traditional chlorhexidine hand scrub technique for hand hygiene preparation in an equine hospital

R A Edwards, C B Riley, L Howe, E A Burrows, K T Riley, L Frellstedt

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    AIMS: To investigate the efficacy of an alcohol gel-based hand antisepsis protocol compared with a traditional chlorhexidine-based protocol under conditions of routine clinical contamination, and following heavy faecal contamination.

    METHODS: Twelve adult participants were recruited and on four separate days completed a hand sanitation protocol using a chlorhexidine scrub or an alcohol-based gel, with hands that were grossly clean but contaminated or with faecal contamination. Bacterial samples were obtained from participants' hands before sanitation, immediately after and then 2 hours later. All samples were cultured on blood and MacConkey agar and bacterial colonies counted after 48 hours.

    RESULTS: for clean contaminated hands, the percentage reduction in bacterial colonies on blood agar immediately after hand sanitation was similar for both protocols (p=0.3), but was greater for the alcohol gel than chlorhexidine after 2 hours (p=0.005). For hands with faecal contamination, the percentage reduction in bacterial colonies on blood agar was similar for both protocols immediately and 2 hours after sanitation (p>0.2), but positive cultures were obtained on blood agar from samples collected after both protocols, for almost all participants.

    CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate equivalent efficacy of the alcohol-based gel and the pre-surgical chlorhexidine protocol.

    CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The alcohol-based gel protocol is an effective hand asepsis technique for grossly clean contaminated hands and those following faecal contamination, with comparable efficacy to chlorhexidine based scrub.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)242-247
    Number of pages6
    JournalNew Zealand Veterinary Journal
    Volume65
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2017

    Keywords

    • Hand asepsis
    • chlorhexidine
    • alcohol gel
    • faecalcontamination

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Comparison of an alcohol-based hand sanitation product with a traditional chlorhexidine hand scrub technique for hand hygiene preparation in an equine hospital'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this