Handrubbing with alcohol is better than soap

During routine patient care, handrubbing with alcohol based solution is significantly more efficient in reducing contamination than handwashing with antiseptic soap. A randomised controlled trial in 23 healthcare workers by Girou and colleagues (p 362) found lower bacterial counts in those in the handrubbing arm of the trial. The lack of effectiveness of handwashing was, the authors say, partly due to the inadequate time spent washing hands conventionally.
 
(Credit: CC STUDIO/SPL)



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Relevant Article

Efficacy of handrubbing with alcohol based solution versus standard handwashing with antiseptic soap: randomised clinical trial
Emmanuelle Girou, Sabrina Loyeau, Patrick Legrand, Françoise Oppein, and Christian Brun-Buisson
BMJ 2002 325: 362. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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