Abstract
To use a MS2 bacteriophage model to compare three hand-drying methods, paper towels (PT), a warm air dryer (WAD) and a jet air dryer (JAD), for their potential to disperse viruses and contaminate the immediate environment during use. Participants washed their gloved hands with a suspension of MS2 bacteriophage and hands were dried with one of the three hand-drying devices. The quantity of MS2 present in the areas around each device was determined using a plaque assay. Samples were collected from plates containing the indicator strain, placed at varying heights and distances and also from the air. Over a height range of 0·15-1·65 m, the JAD dispersed an average of >60 and >1300-fold more plaque-forming units (PFU) compared to the WAD and PT (P < 0·0001), respectively. The JAD dispersed an average of >20 and >190-fold more PFU in total compared to WAD and PT at all distances tested up to 3 m (P < 0·01) respectively. Air samples collected around each device 15 min after use indicated that the JAD dispersed an average of >50 and >100-fold more PFU compared to the WAD and PT (P < 0·001), respectively. Use of the JAD lead to significantly greater and further dispersal of MS2 bacteriophage from artificially contaminated hands when compared to the WAD and PT. The choice of hand-drying device should be considered carefully in areas where infection prevention concerns are paramount, such as healthcare settings and the food industry.
Highlights
The importance of hand hygiene in minimizing the risk of transmission of pathogenic micro-organisms has been recognized since Semmelweis’s work on puerperal fever transmission (Codell Carter 1983)
The vertical board with attached Petri dishes was divided into six zones to compare virus dispersal at a range of heights covering a range of 0Á15–1Á65 m (Fig. 1)
When the three hand-drying devices were compared in this study, there were clear differences in the extent of virus dispersal from the hands
Summary
The importance of hand hygiene in minimizing the risk of transmission of pathogenic micro-organisms has been recognized since Semmelweis’s work on puerperal fever transmission (Codell Carter 1983). Hand hygiene is considered to be an integral component of the practice of infection control both in the home and in community and healthcare settings (Curtis et al 2003; Bloomfield et al 2007). The appropriate cleansing of the hands of staff or visitors prior to, or after, certain procedures is of particular importance and various guidelines on hand washing and cleansing have been issued by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2002), the NHS (National Health Service) and the WHO (World Health Organization) (Boyce and Pittet 2002; WHO 2009; NHS Professionals 2013). The WHO guidelines state that water alone is unsuitable for cleaning visibly soiled hands and that soap or detergent must be used as well as water
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