Assessment of benefits from use of antimicrobial hand products: reduction in risk from handling ground beef.
Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) has been used to estimate the benefits resulting from the use of hand cleansing products (e.g., soaps) containing anti-microbial ingredients. This was done by developing a model for the scenario of hand contact with ground beef during food preparation, considering transference of bacteria to the hands, removal and inactivation by handwashing, and subsequent transference from the hands to the mouth. Organisms of interest in this case study were pathogenic Escherichia coli and the particular strain E. coli O157:H7. It was found that QMRA could be applied to this problem, and that the antimicrobials provided some quantifiable benefit (i.e., reduced the risk of infection and illness). Benefits from the use of triclosan-containing products were less than from the use of products in which alcohols or chlorhexidine were active ingredients.
Haas
Charles N
CN
Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. haas@drexel.edu
Marie
Jason R
JR
Rose
Joan B
JB
Gerba
Charles P
CP
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003296:Cooking; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D012915:Soaps
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012915:Soaps