Efficacy of hand hygiene by use of different handwashing solutions and drying methods- Report from Western India

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Original Article

Author Details : Nilakshi Gupta, Sunita M Bhatawadekar*, Karamchand Patil, Kunal K Lahiri, Meera S Modak, Mahadevan Kumar

Volume : 8, Issue : 1, Year : 2022

Article Page : 73-77

https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijmmtd.2022.016

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Abstract

Aim: To determine efficacy of different hand washing solutions and various drying methods.
Settings and Design: This is a prospective study carried out on health care workers at ICU, & Wards in the Tertiary care hospital, from western India for a period of 1 year 6 months. The study was approved by ethical committee of Medical College and Hospital.
Materials and Methods: Two hand hygiene procedures were compared in this study. Handrubbing with alcohol based solution and handwashing with unmedicated soap.
Fingertips of the HCW\’s dominant hand were gently pressed for 5 seconds on sheep blood agar before and after hand hygiene.1 Colony count was performed after 24 hours of incubation. 60 different samples were collected for each method. Out of these 60 handwashing samples, 30 dried hands by paper towels and 30 by cloth towels. Main outcome measure was bacterial reduction of hand contamination.
Results: 120 HCWs were included in the study. The average reduction in the number of colony-forming units after handwashing was 80% for alcoholic solution and 43.16% for soap and water. The average reduction in the number of colony-forming units was 49.10 when hands were dried with paper towels as compared to 37.23 with cloth towels. CONS were the main bacteria colonising the hands of 60% of health care workers.
Conclusions: Alcoholic hand rub is effective and should be followed as standard method for hand hygiene of HCWs in the hospital. It will help to reduce transmission of HAIs and to prevent the spread of antibiotic drug resistance.
 

Keywords: Hand Hygiene, Alcohol based Handrub, Drying paper Towelss

How to cite : Gupta N, Bhatawadekar S M, Patil K, Lahiri K K, Modak M S, Kumar M, Efficacy of hand hygiene by use of different handwashing solutions and drying methods- Report from Western India. IP Int J Med Microbiol Trop Dis 2022;8(1):73-77

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