Monday, March 31, 2008

Do alcohol-based hand sanitizers kill all types of bacteria and viruses?


There are three main categories of viruses and bacteria that require the use of soap and water to physically remove the spores from the surface. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthcare workers wash their hands with non antimicrobial or antimicrobial soap and water for the following categories of viruses and bacteria that are not susceptible to alcohol-based hand gels:

Nonenveloped or nonlipohilic viruses:
Norovirus
Calicivirus
Picornavirus
Parovirus
Bacterial spores:
B. anthracis (anthrax)
B. cereus (food poisoning)
C. botulinum (botulism)
C. tetani (tetanus)
C. perfringens (gas gangrene)
C. difficile
Protozoan oocysts:
Amebic dysentery
Giardia lamblia

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