Frequent and thorough hand washing is one of the most effective means of preventing the spread of disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When soap and water is not available, commercial alcohol-based hand sanitizers are an effective alternative, according to the CDC, and they significantly reduce the presence of germs on the skin.
Efficacy
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is an effective anti-bacterial only in concentrations of 60 percent or more, according to the CDC. Commercial brands generally contain about 65 percent alcohol. Alcohol dissolves the proteins in the bacteria on contact, disrupting cell function to such a point that the bacterium dies.
In a study conducted by E.J. Fendler, et al, and published in the American Journal of Infection Control, infection rates at a 275-bed nursing facility dropped by 30.4 percent over a 34-month period during which the staff used alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Potency
Sanitizers are effective against almost all bacteria, and some viruses, though the efficacy against viruses stems more from creating a sterile environment on the hands then actually killing the virus itself, according to the CDC. Alcohol kills drug resistant pathogens such as MRSA, and eliminates 99.9 percent of all bacteria within 30 seconds, according to the Learning Well Health and Ethics Continuing Education Center. Up to 99.999 percent of bacteria are eliminated within one minute.
Good Bacteria
Not all bacteria on the hands are pathogenic, which raises the concern that hand sanitizers will kill the “good” bacteria, leaving the user more prone to infection, not less so. Good bacteria lives and thrives throughout the body, including on the skin covering the rest of the body, while pathogens are often localized on the hands because they are more likely to come into contact with contaminated surfaces or infected people. The abundance of good bacteria throughout the body is not affected by the loss of some of the bacteria during hand sanitizing, according to Learning Well.
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