Hand hygiene, the crusade of the infection control specialist. Alcohol-based handrub: the solution!

Abstract

Hands of healthcare workers are the main route of transmission of microorganisms responsible for nosocomial infections. Compliance with hand hygiene procedures however is still grossly insufficient. Rubbing hands with alcohol-based solutions in order to decontaminate hands instead of handwashing, as proposed in new recommendations is one way of solving the problem. Alcohol is more efficient and faster acting than antiseptic soaps and takes care of the real or perceived constraints of healthcare workers against hand hygiene. The pocketsize bottle version of the alcohol-based solution significantly improves doctors' compliance with hand hygiene.