Here's an article from the British Journal of Medicine:
BMJ. 2003 January 4; 326(7379): 50. PMCID: PMC1124940
Copyright © 2003, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
Alcohol handrubs v soap
Finnish experience shows that alcohol rubs are good for hands
Juhani Ojajarvi, senior medical officer
National Agency for Medicines, Medical Devices Centre, PO Box 55, F-00301 Helsinki, Finland ; Email:
juhani.ojajarvi@nam.fi Editor—Girou et al compared the use of alcohol based handrubs with standard handwashing.1 Such handrubs have been used in Finland since the 1980s, and handrubbing is the preferred choice for hand hygiene in health care.Healthcare workers have accepted the method, and complaints of dry skin are fewer than with using other hand hygiene products.2,3 Alcoholic preparations must of course contain skin emollients such as 1-2% glycerol to prevent drying of the skin.References1. Girou E, Loyeau S, Legrand P, Oppein F, Brun-Boisson C. Efficacy of handrubbing with alcohol based solution versus standard handwashing with antiseptic soap: randomised clinical trial. BMJ. 2002;325:362. . (17 August.) [PMC free article] [PubMed]
2. Ojajärvi J, Mäkelä P, Rantasalo I. Failure of hand disinfection with frequent hand washing: a need for profield studies. J Hyg. 1977;79:107–119. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
3. Ojajärvi J. Handwashing in Finland. J Hosp Infect. 1991;18(suppl B):35–40. [PubMed]
BMJ. 2003 January 4; 326(7379): 50. > Response
Copyright © 2003, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
Alcohol handrub removes methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Arti Thakerar, fourth year medical student
Barts and the Royal London Hospitals and School of Medicine, London E1 2AD ; Email:
arti_thakerar@doctorsworld.comCollin Goodbourn, consultant microbiologist
Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust, London E11 1NR Editor—Girou et al showed that handrubbing with an alcohol based solution is significantly more efficient than handwashing with antiseptic soap in reducing hand contamination during routine patient care.1-1 We conducted a similar study of the efficacy of an alcohol handrub (70% ethanol, carbomer, isopropyl myristate, glycerine, monopropylene glycol, vitamin E, and demineralised water; Guest Medical, Kent, UK) in eliminating methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from the fingertips of hospital staff at work.The study was conducted in a large district general hospital in north London in December 2001. Altogether, 110 healthcare staff including doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, healthcare support workers, administrators, and porters were approached at random in their area of work on a single day and invited to take part anonymously. There was no prior knowledge of the study. Each member of staff was asked to place prints of their dominant thumb, index finger, and middle finger onto a plate of Baird Parker agar (selective for S aureus). Two squirts (around 0.5 ml in total) from a 50 ml pocket size dispenser of the alcohol handrub were then sprayed onto their hands, and they were asked to apply this as they would normally—with no extra instruction. After the alcohol was allowed to dry fully, fingerprints were taken again in the same way onto a fresh agar plate. Plates were incubated at 37°C for 48 hours.Typical colonies were confirmed as S aureus and checked for methicillin sensitivity in the normal way. We found that before using the handrub 25 of the 110 staff formed one or more colony forming units of methicillin resistant S aureus from their fingerprints. Most grades of staff had some positive results, although most of the positive results were from those working in two or three specific areas in the hospital. After using handrub only three members of staff grew colonies from their fingerprints.This illustrates the efficacy of an alcohol handrub in reducing hand contamination with methicillin resistant S aureus at work. We plan to repeat the exercise every quarter both as surveillance and as a useful practical educational tool for staff.References1-1. Girou E, Loyeau S, Legrand P, Oppein F, Brun-Boisson C. Efficacy of handrubbing with alcohol based solution versus standard handwashing with antiseptic soap: randomised clinical trial. BMJ. 2002;325:362. . (17 August.) [PMC free article] [PubMed]