Deschênes P, Chano F, Dionne LL, Pittet D, Longtin Y. Efficacy of the World Health Organization-recommended handwashing technique and a modified washing technique to remove Clostridium difficile from hands.
Am J Infect Control 2017;
45:844-848. [PMID:
28526314 DOI:
10.1016/j.ajic.2017.04.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The efficacy of the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended handwashing technique against Clostridium difficile is uncertain, and whether it could be improved remains unknown. Also, the benefit of using a structured technique instead of an unstructured technique remains unclear.
METHODS
This study was a prospective comparison of 3 techniques (unstructured, WHO, and a novel technique dubbed WHO shortened repeated [WHO-SR] technique) to remove C difficile. Ten participants were enrolled and performed each technique. Hands were contaminated with 3 × 106 colony forming units (CFU) of a nontoxigenic strain containing 90% spores. Efficacy was assessed using the whole-hand method. The relative efficacy of each technique and of a structured (either WHO or WHO-SR) vs an unstructured technique were assessed by Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
RESULTS
The median effectiveness of the unstructured, WHO, and WHO-SR techniques in log10 CFU reduction was 1.30 (interquartile range [IQR], 1.27-1.43), 1.71 (IQR, 1.34-1.91), and 1.70 (IQR, 1.54-2.42), respectively. The WHO-SR technique was significantly more efficacious than the unstructured technique (P = .01). Washing hands with a structured technique was more effective than washing with an unstructured technique (median, 1.70 vs 1.30 log10 CFU reduction, respectively; P = .007).
CONCLUSIONS
A structured washing technique is more effective than an unstructured technique against C difficile.
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