Assessment of Microbial Quality and Antibacterial Activity of Commonly used Hand Washes

Oranusi, S. U. and Akande, V.A. and Dahunsi, S.O. (2013) Assessment of Microbial Quality and Antibacterial Activity of Commonly used Hand Washes. Journal of Biological and Chemical Research, 30 (2). pp. 570-580. ISSN 2319-3077

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Abstract

Hands are the highways to the transmission and spread of pathogens that causes diseases, food borne illnesses and nosocomial infections. Hand washing is the act of cleansing the hands with water or another liquid, with or without the use of soap or other detergents, to ensure proper hand hygiene. To determine the microbiological quality and the antibacterial property and dilution effects on activity of hand wash, seven brands of hand washes were evaluated using susceptibility test by agar well diffusion, minimum inhibitory dilution and time kill test. This was done by assessing different dilutions of the hand washes against standardized 1.5x108 cells of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results showed that all the hand washes were sterile and all the brands had some level of antibacterial activity. The hand washes were more active on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli than on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Activity decreased with dilution as neat and 2-1 dilutions gave better results compared to 2-2, 10-1 and 10-2. Hib hand wash killed all test organisms when exposed for 2, 5 and 10 minutes and at neat and 2-1 dilutions but not at 2-2, 10-1 and 10-2. Rev and Pan hand washes though are sterile, were least active in all the tests. The minimum inhibitory dilution and minimum bactericidal dilution for most of the hand wash was at neat concentration. The time kill test showed that the effect of the hand wash was highest at 5 and 10 minutes and at neat (undiluted) for all the test organisms. It is advised that the dilution of hand washes a common practice in most eateries must stop as these products are not active when diluted, hands should be washed for five to ten minutes for maximum hand hygiene. Key words: Antibacterial Activity, Food Borne Illnesses, Hand Hygiene, Microbiological Quality, Nosocomial Infections and Pathogens.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Mr Solomon Bayoko
Date Deposited:	05 Dec 2013 09:56
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2013 09:56
URI:	http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/1955

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