Table 2.
Agent | Plain soap | Antimicrobial soap with chlorhexidine | Alcohol based hand sanitizer |
---|---|---|---|
Mode of action | Detergent effect and mechanical friction | Cationic bisguanide, disrupts cell membranes | Disrupts membranes, denatures proteins, cell lysis |
Reduction of bacterial load on hands | 0.6 to 1.1 log10 CFU | 2.1 to 3.0 log10 CFU; has persistent residual antiseptic activity on the skin which may last up to 30 min. | 3.2 to 5.8 log10 CFU |
Effective against | Dirt, organic material | Gram-positive cocci | Gram-positive cocci, gram-negative bacilli, mycobacterium tuberculosis, fungi, viruses |
Less effective against | Gram-negative bacilli, fungi and viruses, mycobacteria, spore forming bacteria such as Clostridium difficile | Clostridium difficile, Hepatitis A, rotavirus, enteroviruses, adenovirus, spores |
|
Comments | Trauma caused by frequent skin washing may lead to chapping of skin and shedding of resistant flora | Optimal antimicrobial activity at concentration of 60–90% |