[ad_1]
New evidence shows that simple handwashing – even without soap – is more effective than many hand sanitizers in killing the influenza A virus (IAV) in typical clinical situations.
Researchers say the key factor that determines the effectiveness of ethanol-based disinfectants (EBDs) is the presence of wet mucus around the virus. Wet mucus prevents the disinfectant from reaching the virus, which means that the virus remained active after 120 seconds of exposure to DBE.
On the other hand, washing one's hands in clear water for 30 seconds inactivated the virus, which was initially surrounded by wet or dry mucus.
"The physical properties of mucus protect the virus from inactivation," said in a statement Ryohei Hirose, PhD, MD, physician and molecular gastroenterologist at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan. "Until the mucus is completely dry, an infectious IAV can remain on the hands and fingers, even after proper antiseptic rubbing of the hands."
Hirose and her colleagues published their findings online Sept. 18 in mSphere.
For the study, they first examined the physical properties of the mucus and found that ethanol moved more slowly in the thick and sticky substance than in saline, which has similar properties to those of pure water.
Next, the researchers attempted to simulate clinical situations in which health professionals could transmit the virus: they collected sputum for patients infected with the VIA and applied them to human fingers. After being exposed to an EBD for 2 minutes, the IAV was still active in the participants' fingertips. The virus was deactivated 4 minutes later.
If, however, the researchers let the mucus dry completely on the hands of participants before they use EBD, the hand sanitizer quickly inactivated the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommend using disinfectants such as EBD for 15 to 30 seconds. "However, our results suggest that this disinfection time is insufficient for the disinfection of infectious mucus from patients infected with an AED stuck to the fingers / hands and that the current prevention and infection of contact infections [antiseptic hand rubbing] Treatment regimens using EBDs are not enough to prevent IAV outbreaks, "the researchers write.
The results challenge those of previous studies, most of which had tested EBDs on dry mucus.
Given their results, the authors recommend washing their hands rather than simply rubbing them with a hand sanitizer.
The authors of the study did not reveal any relevant financial relationship.
mSphere. Posted online 18 September 2019. Full text
Follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
[ad_2]
Source link