Use Of Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizers Research Articles

Development and Characterization of a Hand Rub Gel Produced with Artisan Alcohol (Puntas), Silver Nanoparticles, and Saponins from Quinoa.

The emergence of the global pandemic (COVID-19) has directed global attention towards the importance of hygiene as the primary defense against various infections. In this sense, one of the frequent recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) is regular hand washing and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Ethanol is the most widely used alcohol due to its effectiveness in eliminating pathogens, ease of use, and widespread production. However, artisanal alcohol, generally used as a spirit drink, could be a viable alternative for developing sanitizing gels. In this study, the use of alcohol "Puntas", silver nanoparticles, and saponins from quinoa was evaluated to produce hand sanitizer gels. The rheological, physicochemical, and antimicrobial properties were evaluated. In the previous assays, the formulations were adjusted to be similar in visual viscosity to the control gel. A clear decrease in the apparent viscosity was observed with increasing shear rate, and an inversely proportional relationship was observed with the amount of ethyl alcohol used in the formulations. The flow behavior index (n) values reflected a pseudoplastic behavior. Oscillatory dynamic tests were performed to analyze the viscoelastic behavior of gels. A decrease in storage modulus (G') and an increase in loss modulus (G″) as a function of the angular velocity (ω) was observed. The evaluation of pH showed that the gels complied with the requirements to be in contact with the skin of the people, and the textural parameters showed that the control gel was the hardest. The use of artisan alcohol could be an excellent alternative to produce sanitizer gel and contribute to the requirements of the population.

Hand Hygiene Knowledge and Practices Among Visitors to the Holy Masjid (Masjid Al-Haram) During the Month of Ramadan in 2023.

Introduction Visits to the Holy Masjid are considered mass gatherings (MGs), defined as concentrations of people at a specific location for a certain objective over a predetermined amount of time. Such gatherings might strain the host nation's preparation and reaction capabilities, increasing the chances of spreading infectious diseases. Aim To evaluate the comprehension of hand hygiene (HH) and proper HH habits among visitors to the Holy Masjid during the month of Ramadan in 2023. Methods A total of 690 visitors to the Holy Masjid were interviewed for this cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was developed using model questions from another published survey. Results Of the participants, 541 (78.4%), predominantly female, had generally good knowledge about HH. A total of 282 (40.9%) participants used nothing to clean their hands after shaking hands with someone. Four hundred and eighty (69.6%) participants were aware that poor HH does not spread HIV/AIDS, and 504 (73%) stated that consistent HH does not reduce the body's natural immunity. A total of 530 (76.8%) participants with good knowledge about HH cleaned their hands before meals, compared to 131 (19%) participants with poor knowledge of HH. Conclusion Based on the results of our study, the participants' awareness of HH was generally high, with most recognizing the role of good HH in preventing common infectious diseases, such as gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. However, certain aspects of HH, such as the necessity and proper use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, were not well understood. Regular, focused awareness-raising initiatives are recommended to enhance HH knowledge and practices among visitors to the Holy Masjid.

Mathematical Model and Optimal Control of Covid-19 in Nigeria

The global pandemic, Covid-19, caused by corona virus disease is responsible for a significant number of deaths and huge economic losses in almost all the countries of the world, including Nigeria. In order to manage the spread of this disease in Nigeria, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control(NCDC) has proposed and implemented various control and preventive measures such as vaccination, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, social distancing, and others. The aim of this paper is to model the transmission dynamics of Covid-19 in Nigeria, and obtain, by using Pontryagin Maximum Principle, the combination of these control strategies for effective control of the disease in Nigeria. Numerical experiments with Nigeria Covid-19 data show the effectiveness optimal use of these preventive and control measures for Covid-19.

Leviticus 13:1-8 and The Handling of Pandemic Victims Among Priests in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

Leviticus 13:1-8 presents God’s instruction to his people, Israel, on how to combat the health pandemic. The hermeneutical propagations will help the priests and church leaders fight the virus, especially among priests in Nsukka, Enugu State. According to this text, the priest is to act as a health instructor in a situation of overwhelming health challenges. It describes health challenges and the role of the priest in overcoming them. Therefore, this text can serve as a model for combating contagious diseases like Covid-19. It is on record that the emergency of the Corona virus pandemic overwhelmed the health workers. This opened a gap, which necessitated that other people, like the priests, could come in and fill it. A rhetorical-exegetical method of biblical interpretation was used. Again, observations and interviews sufficed to ascertain the extent to which the priest helped enforce precautionary measures for Covid-19 as advanced by the World Health Organization and the National Center for Disease Control. It was discovered that the priests and other ordained men of God in Nsukka, Enugu State, are not totally committed to the extra services of helping the health workers in their fight against Covid-19. This is because it does not reflect on their sermon. Also, social distancing was not observed in the churches visited, and no testing kits, not even infrared thermometers, were found in most of the churches visited. Worse still, some laity were observed entering and worshiping without a facemask and no sanction. Washing of hands with soap and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer were noticed not to be in place in most of the remote places of worship centers that were visited. Therefore, this paper engages the priests and religious leaders within the study area to preach health protocols, provide testing materials, and establish isolation centers to assuage Covid-19 pandemic.

Physicochemical Evaluation of the Potency and Viability of Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers

Background: Frequent hand washing with soap and antiseptics is vital to prevent the spread of infectious agents, but can also result in chronic skin dermatitis. This could change the skin's normal flora, leading to infectious pathogens colonization. Thus, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which may be less irritating to the skin, and improve hygiene. Objective: The study aimed to produce alcohol-based hand sanitizers following WHO guidelines, and quantify the effects of temperature on their potency and concentrations after exposure to different environmental conditions. Method: The WHO guidelines for the production of hand sanitizer formulation were carefully followed; Ethanol (96%) was diluted to 70%, Carbomer and valina with banana flavor were used as thickening and fragrance agent receptivity. Twenty (20) products (250 mL each) selected at random were grouped into four categories – 10 bottles were subjected to Room Temperature (at 25-28°C); 5 samples with lids (unexposed) and 5 without lids (exposed), respectively while the other 10 samples were stored in the car (at 28 - 38°C); 5 samples with lids (unexposed), and 5 samples without lids (exposed), respectively. The alcohol concentration was quantified respectively with the aid of the alcohol meter daily, up to a period of 30 days (one month), and was properly recorded. Results There were significant statistical differences in the exposed hand sanitizer preparations compared to the standard at p-value ≤ 0.05. Reduction of ethanol concentration was observed from 70 - 53% of the exposed preparation. Also, for the ones exposed and unexposed in the car, the ethanol concentration dropped from 70 - 68% of the well-corked product while there was an alcohol content reduction from 70 - 41% of the exposed product in the car. Conclusion: Temperature conditions directly affect the concentration, potency, and efficacy of hand sanitizer preparations.

COVID-19 Safety Protocols: Do Commuters Prefer Public Transport after Relaxation of Safety Protocol Enforcement?

There is a current discourse on how COVID-19 will impact future use of public services by people. At the time of writing this paper, most countries around the globe have relaxed safety protocol enforcement. This may change individual use of public transport, and policy implementations. The study mainly used Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) to examine the use of public transport ridership after the relaxation of COVID-19 safety protocol enforcement. A survey was used to collect data from 1692 respondents across Ghana partly online and partly face-to-face interviews from April 20^th, 2022 to June 5^th, 2022. The preliminary findings show that the use of private cars declined during the enforcement of safety protocols. However, after relaxation of safety protocol enforcement, the use of private transport increased more than public transport. The Relative Importance Index revealed that 'facemask wearing covering both nose and mouth', 'reduction in the number of occupants per vehicle', 'the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer', and 'vehicles cleaned after every trip' were the most important safety protocols perceived to prevent infection of virus. However, the MLR model shows that largely, relaxation of mandatory facemask wearing, social distancing, hand hygiene, and disinfection of transport could decrease public transport ridership. These findings suggest that the COVID-19 infection anxiety has not faded and could decrease public transport ridership. To relieve the anxiety regarding virus infection through the use of public transportation, the government needs to take appropriate measures to lower the perceived risk of infection.

Alterations in faecal microbiome and resistome in Chinese international travellers: a metagenomic analysis.

International travel increases the risk of acquisition of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Previous studies have characterized the changes in the gut microbiome and resistome of Western travellers; however, information on non-Western populations and the effects of travel-related risk factors on the gut microbiome and resistome remains limited. We conducted a prospective observational study on a cohort of 90 healthy Chinese adult residents of Hong Kong. We characterized the microbiome and resistome in stools collected from the subjects before and after travelling to diverse international locations using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and examined their associations with travel-related variables. Our results showed that travel neither significantly changed the taxonomic composition of the faecal microbiota nor altered the alpha (Shannon) or beta diversity of the faecal microbiome or resistome. However, travel significantly increased the number of ARGs. Ten ARGs, including aadA, TEM, mgrB, mphA, qnrS9 and tetR, were significantly enriched in relative abundance after travel, eight of which were detected in metagenomic bins belonging to Escherichia/Shigella flexneri in the post-trip samples. In sum, 30 ARGs significantly increased in prevalence after travel, with the largest changes observed in tetD and a few qnrS variants (qnrS9, qnrS and qnrS8). We found that travel to low- or middle-income countries, or Africa or Southeast Asia, increased the number of ARG subtypes, whereas travel to low- or middle-income countries and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) or doxycycline as antimalarial prophylaxis during travel resulted in increased changes in the beta diversity of the faecal resistome. Our study highlights travel to low- or middle-income countries, Africa or Southeast Asia, a long travel duration, or the use of ABHS or doxycycline as antimalarial prophylaxis as important risk factors for the acquisition/enrichment of ARGs during international travel.

Antimicrobial Efficacy Assessment and Rheological Investigation of Two Different Hand Sanitizers Compared with the Standard Reference WHO Formulation 1

(1) Background: recently, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHSs) has become very frequent, and an evaluation of the stability and effectiveness of their formulations is a critical topic which should be carefully considered. (2) Methods: starting from the characterization of the hand sanitizers object of the study, our interest was focused on their rheological behavior in order to confirm their intrinsic features, but also the stability of each formulation in different conditions of shear and temperature; the second aspect concerns the antimicrobial assessment through a panel of in vitro and in vivo experimental trials. (3) Results: rheological investigation confirmed good stability for the two hand sanitizers in gel formula with respect to the reference in liquid formula; the antimicrobial activity evaluation showed good efficacy of each formulation both in vitro and in vivo. (4) Conclusions: altogether, our overview presents a valid quality control assessment to ensure the stability and efficacy of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Burns: A Brazilian Study

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the strategies chosen to contain the spread, such as social isolation and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, were suspected to increase the risk of domestic accidents, especially burns. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate possible differences in epidemiological trends among burned patients admitted to the main referral hospital of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, before and during the pandemic. Methods: All categories of new burns admitted at the Burn Unit of the João XXIII Hospital in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The study group consisted of burn patients admitted between 1 March and 31 December 2020, and the control group consisted of those admitted between 1 March and 31 December 2019. The population was analyzed descriptively, and differences between patients admitted before and during the pandemic were tested using t-test, Wilcoxon Mann–Whitney Rank Sum test, the Chi-Squared test or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. Results: During the study period, 914 patients were admitted at the burns unit, 535 before the pandemic (control group) and 379 during the pandemic (study group). During the pandemic, referral from other hospitals decreased, while time between injury and admission remained unchanged. TBSA% and LOS diminished, while the depth of burns, presence of inhalation injuries, and in-hospital mortality did not. In adults, the place and mechanism of injury changed during the pandemic, while in children they did not. Conclusion: Fewer patients with burns were referred for specialized burn care during the pandemic, although patients admitted for specialized burn care had smaller TBSA% and shorter LOS.

Chemical Agent of Control: Assessment of Effect of Contact Time on Antimicrobial Activity of Alcohol Based Hand Sanitizers

Antiseptic solutions used to minimize or remove bacteria or infectious agents on the hands are known as hand sanitizers. The influence of contact time on the antibacterial activity of hand sanitizers was investigated in this study. Standard laboratory techniques were used to evaluate five brands of hand sanitizers, designated as samples A, B, C, D, and E. Before applying the hand sanitizer, five human volunteers utilized the impression method to inoculate plates of various sterile culture media (control) and after 5 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes intervals (tests) after application. Sample E had the least effective contact duration of one (1) minute, whereas sample D had the longest effective contact time of 15 minutes. All the brands were effective against Enterococcus species. In general, there was a considerable decrease in the number of colonies detected before using the hand sanitizer within one minute contact time. There was also a pattern where specific organisms were more vulnerable to one brand but not the other. According to the findings, an average of 1 to 15 minutes contact time resulted in the most substantial reduction and elimination of microorganisms identified in control plates, and is thus recommended as the most effective contact period. More so, individuals are encouraged to make use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers regularly especially where hand washing with water and soap is not easily accessible. It is also recommended that hand sanitizers are re-applied on the handsat least within every 30-60 minutes as result from this study suggests.

Investigating the Antibacterial Activity and Safety of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles versus a Commercial Alcohol-Based Hand-Sanitizer: Can Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Be Useful for Hand Sanitation?

Hand hygiene is the key factor to control and prevent the spread of infections, for example, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). People commonly use alcohol-based hand sanitizers to assure hand hygiene. However, frequent use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in a pandemic situation (e.g., COVID-19) was associated with serious drawbacks such as skin toxicity including irritation, skin dermatitis, and skin dryness or cracking, along with peeling, redness, or itching with higher possibility of infection. This demands the development of alternative novel products that are effective as alcohol-based hand sanitizers but have no hazardous effects. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are known to have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, be compatible with the biological system and the environment, and have applicable and economic industrial-scale production. Thus, ZnO-NPs might be a good candidate for hand sanitation. To the best of our knowledge, the antibacterial activity of ZnO-NPs in comparison to alcohol-based hand sanitizers has not yet been studied. In the present work, a comparative study of the antibacterial activity of ZnO-NPs vs. Sterillium, a commercial alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is commonly used in Egyptian hospitals, was performed against common microorganisms known to cause HAIs in Egypt, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Staphylococcus aureus. The safety profiles of ZnO-NPs and Sterillium were also assessed. The obtained results demonstrated the superior antibacterial activity and safety of ZnO-NPs compared to Sterillium. Therefore, ZnO-NPs could be a promising candidate for hand sanitation in comparison to alcohol-based hand sanitizers; however, several studies related to long-term toxicity and stability of ZnO-NPs and investigations into their antimicrobial activity and safety in healthcare settings are still required in the future to ascertain their antimicrobial activity and safety.

Infection Control Measures against Candidaauris in Healthcare Facilities

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast with high mortality rate, especially in patients with underlying co-morbidities. It has been known to contaminate the environment and colonize human skin for prolonged periods in healthcare settings leading to difficult-to-control outbreaks. However, there is limited literature on the efficacy of different disinfectants/antiseptics, which can effectively decontaminate the environment and decolonize patients to prevent the spread of C. auris. This review highlights recommendations available in the literature for detection and control of C. auris in healthcare settings. Detection of C. auris by biochemical and automated methods has often been misleading. Availability of C. auris-specific PCR can prove to be a more reliable technique for detection of C. auris. Control measures for transmission of C. auris include use of registered hospital grade disinfectant active against Clostridium difficile cleaning the environment and equipment and chlorhexidine for decolonization of patients. Hand hygiene using soap and water, followed by use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer for maximal disinfection, is recommended for healthcare workers.

Adverse Effects Induced by Long-term Use of Hand Sanitizers Among Health Staff During COVID-19

Background: The present study examines the various complications and impurities of alcoholbased hand sanitizers during COVID-19 among health workers in Hamadan City, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 178 healthcare workers in different hospitals affiliated with the Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. The inclusion criteria included health personnel working in hospitals dedicated to the care and treatment of patients with COVID-19 in Hamadan City. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. Afterward, to evaluate the quality and impurities of the alcohol-based hand sanitizers used by healthcare workers, various samples were collected and analyzed using gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS). Stata software version 14-2 was used to analyze the data. Results: The highest and the lowest percentages of ethanol in washing solutions and gels were 68.24% and 60.71%, respectively. Among them, the frequency of using gel, solution, and spray was 93.82%, 42.13%, and 49.44%, respectively. Skin and breathing sensitivity were the most common symptoms in 44.38% and 27.68% of the health workers, respectively. Skin dryness (50%) and sore throat (25.84%) were the most common complications observed in skin and respiratory symptoms among health workers, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings implied that the prevalence of various complications related to the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is high among health workers, which highlights the role of using appropriate alcohol-based hand rubs with suitable formulations in the hospital environment to reduce the adverse health effects caused by their long-term and extensive use among health workers.

Ibadan Urban Dwellers’ Perception on the Use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions for COVID-19

SARS coronavirus cases have been reported all across the world in the previous two years. The rate of transmission has been steadily increasing over time. This study examines residents’ knowledge, attitudes, and preventive activities for SARS-CoV-2 prevention in five local government areas in Ibadan’s urban zone (total population: 1,886,800 inhabitants, census 2016).During the months of November and December, 2021, a cross-sectional survey based on the health belief model was conducted with a simple random sample of 355 respondents from densely populated regions of urban Ibadan. SARS-CoV-2 was known by a total of 262 people. Only 33.5% of the total respondents were concerned about SARS coronavirus. A small percentage (4.5%) had previously been diagnosed with SARS coronavirus, 66.7% considered a SARS-CoV-2 infection to be serious, yet only 33.5% were concerned about SARS coronavirus. The results are inconsistent in reporting preventive practices, either community-level interventions (e.g., quarantining/self-isolating after returning from travel, 23.9%; actively maintaining a certain distance between myself and people outside, 31.8%) or personal preventive behaviours (e.g., use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, 53.2%). Participants who reported willingness to accept a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were more likely to perceive the risk of contracting it as higher (aOR = 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01–1.04), as well as knowing if a friend had previously been diagnosed with SARS coronavirus (aOR = 2.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.62–5.55), according to a multivariate analysis using stepwise binary logistic regression which had a 77.27% predictive accuracy, using a test-train, confusion matrix split. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that future interventions promoting SARS-CoV-2 prevention among inhabitants of urban Ibadan should focus on individuals’ views of SARS coronavirus vulnerability, highlighting the benefits of personal protective behaviors.

Hand hygiene and hand eczema: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hand eczema is a common inflammatory condition of the skin that has been linked to hand hygiene. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aims to determine the risks of hand eczema associated with hand hygiene, including frequency of handwashing, wet‐work and use of alcohol hand rub. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library was performed for cohort, case–control or cross‐sectional studies that analysed the association between hand hygiene and risk of hand eczema. Results of individual studies were presented in respective forest plots and pooled summary relative risks were estimated using a random‐effects model. Forty‐five studies were included in analysis. Handwashing at least 8–10 times daily significantly increased risk of hand eczema (relative risk [RR] 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35–1.68; p < 0.001). The risk was related to handwashing frequency, with higher pooled RR of 1.66 (95% CI: 1.51–1.83; p < 0.001) with increased handwashing at least 15–20 times daily. However, use of alcohol‐based hand sanitizer was not significantly associated with risk of hand eczema. Given the widespread implementation of hand hygiene practices during the COVID‐19 pandemic, there is a pertinent need to understand skin care habits specific to the hands to avoid a greater incidence of hand eczema.

Headspace Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy Analysis and Antibacterial Tests of Commercial Hand Sanitizers

As of late 2019, with the rapid and alarming spread of the SARS-Cov-2 (Covid-19) virus from the coronavirus family, serious measures had to be taken all over the world. The efforts to prevent this global epidemic have started with the legal measures taken by the countries in this regard and the warnings of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the epidemic should be taken seriously. In this process, the success of the use of masks and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in preventing the disease has been evaluated and approved by scientists. In terms of the effectiveness of hand sanitizers, it is seen that the main components are ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol, which are alcohol derivatives and they are considered as active ingredients due to their antibacterial and antiseptic effect. In this study, 11 commercially purchased hand sanitizer active and additional ingredients were identified and listed by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (HS/GCMS) and their antibacterial activities were studied. Hand sanitizers containing alcohol derivatives were used in the study. As a result of this study, it was observed that 4 out of11 commercial hand sanitizers were not suitable for the final concentration values of hand sanitizer determined by the World Health Organization (accepted as 80%(v/v) for alcohol derivatives). Apart from this, hand sanitizers numbered 5 and 9 did not show antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and hand sanitizers numbered 1 and 10 did not show antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus. This situation shows that the standards of hand sanitizers should be controlled with much more stringent rules.

A Comprehensive Review on Production and Safety Aspects of Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizers

The objective of this review is to bring general awareness amongst the population regarding the general healthy practices of social distancing, maintaining hygiene by use of various hand sanitizers, and ensuring prevention of the spread of COVID-19 infection. The general population may be concerned about the effectiveness and safety aspects of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The harmful effects that might be associated with the excessive use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The current article tries to focus on the various ways by which sanitization may be achieved. It also describes the various types of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and extensively talks about their manufacturing methods of them. The queries regarding the hazardous effects of alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also addressed.

The Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions to Control the Spread of Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered the most crucial global health problem of the 21st century and the greatest challenge that affects humans globally. In late December 2019, a new infectious respiratory disease emerged from Wuhan city of Hubei province in China. Since then, it has since spread around the world, thus declared a pandemic on 11th March 2020 by the World Health Organisation. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has become a clinical threat to the common population and healthcare workers worldwide. The intensity and speed with which it struck were almost unimaginable as it turns out to have infected over 327,793,472 people and caused more than 5,539,108 deaths globally as of the 17th of January 2022. Likewise, in Nigeria, as of 17th of January 2022; 250,929 confirmed cases, 3,103 deaths, and 224,052 recovered had been reported by NCDC, 2022. At the time of writing this review, no approved antiviral chemotherapy is available instead, use of some recommended vaccines by WHO. Therefore, nonpharmaceutical interventions are adopted by the national government as possible preventive measures to mitigate the spread of the virus globally. These measures include total lockdown, wearing of face mask in public, regular handwashing with soap and water, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, maintaining social and physical distance and coughing or sneezing into the elbow, and general enlightenment.

Potential of Antibacterial Activity in Natural Ingredients (Betel Leaves, Basil Leaves, Avocado Seeds, Lemongrass, Garlic) As Natural Hand Sanitizers: Journal Review

In an effort to reduce the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers because of their quite dangerous impact on the skin, natural hand sanitizers are an alternative. The antibacterial substances in betel leaves, basil leaves, avocado seeds, lemongrass, and garlic can be used as materials for natural hand sanitizers. The purpose of this study was to collect, identify, and compare journals about the effectiveness of antibacterial agents in natural ingredients that are used as natural hand sanitizers. Using the journal review method through reviewing the contents of journals that discuss antibacterial activity, the results show that the five phytochemical compounds contain active antibacterial compounds so that they have the potential to make natural hand sanitizers, as well as the antibacterial inhibition zone of these five ingredients showing high results with strong to very strong categories. It was concluded that the five ingredients could be used as natural hand sanitizer materials. However, betel leaves are preferred because of their largest inhibition zone, 3.1-4.0 cm.

Shifting trends in demographic features of chemical eye injuries during COVID-19 pandemic.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the etiological cause distribution in chemical eye injuries during COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn this retrospective case series, the medical records of patients, who presented with chemical eye injuries between March 30, 2020, and March 1, 2021, were evaluated and compared with the data covering 10 years before the pandemic.ResultsTwenty-seven eyes of twenty-three patients (19 adults, 4 children) who presented in pandemic period were included. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer was one of the two most common agents (n = 6 eyes) in the pandemic era. In the last 10 years before the pandemic, 137 eyes of 102 patients were treated for chemical eye injuries. Injuries due to alcohol-based hand sanitizer increased from 3.1 to 21.1% among all patients, and from 0 to 75% among pediatric patients during the pandemic era compared to the pre-pandemic period. The increase was statistically significant both in all patients (p = .003) and in the pediatric patient group (p = .048).ConclusionDue to COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol-based hand sanitizer use became more common. Consequently, the frequency of hand sanitizer related chemical injuries showed a 13-fold increase and the age group affected by such accidents is altered during the pandemic. Three out of four pediatric patients (75%) were injured with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which draws attention to the fact that improperly placed hand sanitizer stations, being just at the eye level of children, can cause chemical eye injuries in the pediatric population even more.