Comparative effectiveness of hand-cleansing agents for removing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from experimentally contaminated fingertips.
BACKGROUND
Five subjects participated in a study of optimal conditions for removing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from contaminated fingertips.


METHODS
Fingertips were contaminated experimentally and cleaned by various methods. Bacterial removal was measured as percentage and is given as mean +/- standard error of the mean.


RESULTS
Rinsing the fingertips with tap water for 20 seconds and drying them with paper towels removed 95.2% +/- 1.6% of the contamination. Application of hand-cleansing agents to fingertips for 20 seconds, followed by a 20-second tap-water rinse and towel drying, removed bacteria as follows: povidone-iodine detergent, 99.2% +/- 0.4%; chlorhexidine detergent, 97.2% +/- 0.8%; and liquid soap, 96.1% +/- 1.1%. In a modification of the method, 80% ethyl alcohol applied to the fingertips for 20 seconds, followed by air drying for 40 seconds, removed 99.1% +/- 0.8% of the bacteria. Statistical analyses indicated that povidone-iodine and 80% ethyl alcohol were more effective than the other agents.


CONCLUSIONS
Rinsing contaminated fingertips with tap water and towel drying them is sufficient to reduce contamination with methicillin-resistant S. aureus by 95%. Washing with povidone-iodine or 80% ethyl alcohol further reduces contamination by an additional 99%.
Huang
Y
Y
Department of Pharmacy, Yamaguchi University Hospital, Ube, Japan.
Oie
S
S
Kamiya
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000382:microbiology*; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012915:Soaps / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D012915:Soaps; D000431:Ethanol; D011206:Povidone-Iodine; D002710:Chlorhexidine