title: Novel handwashes are superior to soap and water in removal of Clostridium difficile spores from the hands.
abstract: We examined the efficacy of 5 experimental handwash formulations in removing nontoxigenic Clostridium difficile spores from the hands of health care workers. Handwashing with sand resulted in an additional 0.5-log reduction in spore recovery compared with the current standard of soap and water.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Electronic address: Dylan.isaacson@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Dylan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Isaacson
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roemer
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Winston
mesh_terms: D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004202:Disinfectants; D006225:Hand / Q000382:microbiology*; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D012915:Soaps; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D012915:Soaps; D014867:Water
keywords: Clostridium difficile; Hand hygiene; Handwashing