COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF HAND-CLEANSING AGENTS FOR REMOVING METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS FROM EXPERIMENTALLY CONTAMINATED FINGERTIPS

Background: Five subjects participated in a study of optimal conditions for removing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from contaminated fingertips. Methods: Fingertips were contaminated experimentally and cleaned by various methods. Bacterial removal was measured as percentage and is given as mean +/- standard error of the mean. Results: Rinsing the fingertips with tap water for 20 seconds and drying them with paper towels removed 95.2% +/- 1.6% of the contamination. Application of hand-cleansing agents to fingertips for 20 seconds, followed by a 20-second tap-water rinse and towel drying, removed bacteria as follows: povidone-iodine detergent, 99.2% +/- 0.4%; chlorhexidine detergent, 97.2% +/- 0.8%; and liquid soap, 96.1% +/- 1.1%. In a modification of the method, 80% ethyl alcohol applied to the fingertips for 20 seconds, followed by air drying for 40 seconds, removed 99.1% +/- 0.8% of the bacteria. Statistical analyses indicated that povidone-iodine and 80% ethyl alcohol were more effective than the other agents. Conclusions: Rinsing contaminated fingertips with tap water and towel drying them is sufficient to reduce contamination with methicillin-resistant S. aureus by 95%. Washing with povidone-iodine or 80% ethyl alcohol further reduces contamination by an additional 99%.