Comparative Antibacterial Efficacy of Formulated and Commercial Hand Sanitizers: Formulation and Evaluation

Abstract

Background: Hand hygiene is crucial to preventing infections in hospitals and communities. However, many hand sanitizer products are on the market, raising questions about their effectiveness and safety. The objective of this study was to develop and assess two laboratory-developed gel-based hand sanitizers, followed by a clinical trial. Methodology: The laboratory test used the European standard for chemical disinfectants and antiseptics (EN 14885; 2006) and different bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853). The clinical trial involved 300 healthcare workers who volunteered for the study and used the developed or commercial hand sanitizers. The hand samples were collected before and after treatment and analyzed for bacterial load. The logarithmic reduction factor of the bacterial load measured the antibacterial efficacy of the hand sanitizers. Results: The developed hand sanitizers achieved a 6-log reduction (99.9999%) of all bacterial strains in the laboratory test. In the clinical trial, they achieved a 4-log reduction (99.99%) of the bacterial load on the hands of the healthcare workers. Conclusions: The hand sanitizers developed in this study were found to be equally or more effective and safer than the WHO formulation. The results showed that the developed hand sanitizers exhibited desirable physical properties, and strong antimicrobial activity against five common microorganisms responsible for infections while also being deemed cost-effective and well-tolerated by the volunteers. This could lead to improved health for both healthcare workers and patients, as well as a reduction in nosocomial infections.