Antisepsis that uses running water and an aqueous solution is usually referred to as
a “scrub”. Scrubs are commonly used by surgical staff for hand
antisepsis during pre-surgical preparation, and contain agents, such as
chlorhexidine gluconate or povidone iodine. Scrubbing involves wetting the hands and
forearms with water, systematically applying the scrub solution using hands or
sponges and rinsing under running water. This process typically takes up to six
minutes. The term “rub” usually refers to hand antisepsis procedures
and products that do not require running water. The most commonly used rub products
contain at least 60% alcohol (v/v).
Alcohol-based rubs have a well-established role in infection control strategy in
healthcare settings for routine hand sanitization,1–4 including hospitals, outpatient clinics, laboratory
settings, community settings and for hand sanitization in surgical
contexts.5–8
The ubiquitous usage of alcohol-based rubs is based on evidence for reduced
infectious transmission, low cost, and their high acceptability and tolerability
relative to other methods of sanitization.9,10 Nevertheless, there have been some concerns associated with
the usage of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, such as religious objections, abuse
potential, and flammability.3 These concerns, combined with a desire to optimize infection
control and user acceptability, has led to the development of several non-alcohol
based hand rub products. These products use antimicrobial agents such as triclosan,
chlorhexidine, iodophors or quaternary ammonium compounds; various combinations and
formulations have been developed (e.g., water-based, foams, gels,
nanocapsules).11,12
The purpose of this report is to review the evidence regarding the effectiveness of
non-alcohol based hand sanitizer (rubs) for reducing infection rates and infection
transmission in the healthcare setting for both healthcare workers and
non-healthcare personnel. Another objective of this report is to summarize
evidence-based guidelines regarding the use of non-alcohol based hand rubs.
About the Series
Rapid Response Report: Summary with Critical Appraisal
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