Comparison of an alcohol-based hand sanitation product with a traditional chlorhexidine hand scrub technique for hand hygiene preparation in an equine hospital.

The research article investigates the effectiveness of an alcohol gel-based hand antisepsis protocol against the traditional chlorhexidine-based hand scrub protocol on clean or faecally contaminated hands in an equine hospital. Although both protocols displayed similar immediate reduction in bacteria, the alcohol gel was found to be more effective after a period of 2 hours for clean contaminated hands, exhibiting long-term efficacy similar to that of the chlorhexidine scrub.

Study Methodology

• The research study involved twelve adult participants, each of whom conducted hand sanitation protocols at an equine hospital on four different days. These procedures were overseen using a chlorhexidine scrub or an alcohol-based gel.
• Two types of hand contamination conditions were tested: grossly clean but contaminated hands and hands with faecal contamination.
• Bacterial samples were collected at three stages: before sanitation, right after sanitation, and then 2 hours later.
• These samples were later cultured on blood and MacConkey agar for bacterial colony cultivation and were inspected after 48 hours.

Study Results

• For clean contaminated hands, both the chlorhexidine scrub and the alcohol-based gel showed similar immediate results in bacterial reduction.
• However, the alcohol gel was significantly more effective in reducing bacterial colonies after a 2-hour interval.
• Meanwhile, no significant difference was observed in the effectiveness of both protocols on faecally contaminated hands, either immediately or after the 2-hour period.
• After the use of either protocol, positive cultures were still noted. This indicates that none of the protocols could fully remove bacteria from hands, especially those with faecal contamination.

Conclusions

• The study concludes that both the alcohol gel-based hand antisepsis and chlorhexidine-based hands scrub protocols have similar immediate effectiveness in reducing bacteria under the conditions of the trial.
• Furthermore, the alcohol-based solution proves to be more effective over a longer duration (2 hours) on grossly clean contaminated hands.
• In the case of severe (faecal) contamination, neither protocol was able to entirely eradicate bacteria from hands.
• However, the efficacy of the alcohol-based gel still holds its own against the traditional chlorhexidine scrub, making it a valid alternative for hand hygiene, especially in veterinary hospitals dealing with equines.