WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care - Safe Care ...

<strong>WHO</strong> GUIDELINES ON HAND HYGIENE IN HEALTH CARE
Table I.11.8
Hygienic handrub efficacy of various agents in reducing the release of test bacteria from artificially-contaminated hands
Agent
Concentration a
(%)
Test bacterium
Mean log reduction exposure time
(min)
0.5 1.0 2.0
n-Propanol 100
60
E. coli 5.8
5.5
50 5.0
3.7 4.7 4.9
40 4.3
Isopropanol 70 E. coli 4.9
4.8
3.5
60 4.4
4.3
4.2
4.0
S. marcescens 4.1
50
E. coli
3.4 3.9 4.4
Ethanol 80 E. coli 4.5
70 4.3 5.1
4.3 4.9
4.0
3.6 3.8 4.5
3.4 4.1
S. aureus 3.7
2.6
Tosylchloramide (aq. sol.) 60 S. saprophyticus 3.5 3.8
Povidone-iodine (aq. sol.) 2.0 b E. coli 4.2
Chlorhexidine diacetate (aq. sol.)
1.0 b
E. coli
0.5 b E. coli
4.0–4.3
3.1
Chloro-cresol (aq. sol.) 1.0 b E. coli 3.6
Hydrogen peroxide 7.5 E. coli 3.6
a
If not stated otherwise, v/v.
b
m/v.
Sources: reprinted with permission from Rotter, 2004. 480,481
46