Abstract
Hand hygiene plays an important role in reducing infections in various settings, particularly in healthcare. Hand sanitisers are used as an alternative to hand washing in reducing the number of viable microorganisms when soap and water are not readily available. However, they are only effective if quality products are used and if hands are not heavily soiled or greasy. This study aimed to investigate the anti-bacterial effectiveness of commercially available hand sanitisers and those commonly used in healthcare facilities. The objectives of the study were to identify the commonly used hand sanitisers sold both on the local market and in public healthcare facilities and to determine the anti-bactericidal level of the identified hand sanitisers. A mapping exercise was done to select and procure different hands sanitisers (n=18) sold at retailers, including pharmacies and those available from healthcare facilities. Five microorganisms implicated in hospital-acquired infections were selected and tested against each hand sanitiser: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Twenty volunteers were also recruited to do a handprint before and after the application of the hand sanitiser. Four of eighteen hand sanitisers (22 %) were most effective against all tested bacterial species, and another four (22 %) were ineffective. Hand sanitisers (n=7) with a label claim of 99.99% were all effective against E. coli only. Only five hand sanitisers (27%) were effective in the bacterial reduction of participant handprints. One hand sanitiser had no growth on the agar plates after 20 participants had used it. This study showed that only a fifth of hand sanitisers was effective against selected microorganisms. Furthermore, the hand sanitisers were also only effective against one of the five microorganisms tested. The findings raise concerns about the efficacy of hand sanitiser and its role as a preventive measure in reducing microbial transmission.
M.Tech. (Biomedical Technology)