title: A randomized trial of the efficacy of hand disinfection for prevention of rhinovirus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hand disinfection is frequently recommended for prevention of rhinovirus (RV) infection and RV-associated common colds. The effectiveness of this intervention has not been established in a natural setting. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hand disinfection on RV infection and RV-associated common cold illness in a natural setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled clinical trial was done in young adult volunteers during 9 weeks of the fall 2009 RV season. Volunteers were randomized to either an antiviral hand treatment containing 2% citric acid and 2% malic acid in 62% ethanol (n = 116) or to a no-treatment control group (n = 96). The hand treatment was applied every 3 hours while the subjects were awake. All volunteers kept a daily diary of symptoms and had a nasal lavage for polymerase chain reaction once each week and 2 additional lavages around the time of each common cold illness. The primary endpoint was the number of RV-associated illnesses. The incidence of RV infection and of common cold illnesses were evaluated as secondary endpoints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hand treatment did not significantly reduce RV infection or RV-related common cold illnesses. The total number of common cold illnesses was significantly reduced in the intent-to-treat analysis, but this effect was not seen in the per protocol analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, hand disinfection did not reduce RV infection or RV-related common cold illnesses.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT00993759.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA. rbt2n@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Ronald B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Janice L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fuls
authors.forename: Nancy D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.forename: Heidi B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
authors.forename: Leslie K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Lockhart
authors.forename: Louise B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Aust
mesh_terms: D019343:Citric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006805:Human Experimentation; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D008293:Malates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D008293:Malates; D019343:Citric Acid; D000431:Ethanol; C030298:malic acid