Name: a method to test the efficacy of handwashing for the removal of emerging infectious pathogens
Uploaded: 2017-06-07T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens at JoVE.com

This work was supported by the United States Agency for International Development, Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (AID-OFDA-A-15-00026). Marlene Wolfe was supported by the National Science Foundation (grant 0966093).

Ethics Statement: The study described here (on Phi6 and E. coli as surrogates for Ebola) was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University Health Sciences Campus (#12018); Harvard University ceded review to the Tufts Institutional Review Board.
NOTE: Prior to beginning this protocol, two steps must be completed. First, a Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) surrogate or non-infectious version of the pathogen to be studied that is safe to use on human sub...

<ol>
	<li>Kampf, G., Kramer, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Epidemiologic+Background+of+Hand+Hygiene+and+Evaluation+of+the+Most+Important+Agents+for+Scrubs+and+Rubs.">Epidemiologic Background of Hand Hygiene and Evaluation of the Most Important Agents for Scrubs and Rubs.</a> Clin Microbiol Rev. 17 (4), 863-893 (2004).</li><li>Miller, T., Patrick, D., Ormrod, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hand+decontamination:+influence+of+common+variables+on+hand-washing+efficiency.">Hand decontamination: influence of common variables on hand-washing efficiency.</a> Healthc Infect. 16 (1), 18 (2013).</li><li>Jensen, D. A., Danyluk, M. D., Harris, L. J., Schaffner, D. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantifying+the+effect+of+hand+wash+duration,+soap+use,+ground+beef+debris,+and+drying+methods+on+the+removal+of+Enterobacter+aerogenes+on+hands.">Quantifying the effect of hand wash duration, soap use, ground beef debris, and drying methods on the removal of Enterobacter aerogenes on hands.</a> J Food Prot. 78 (4), 685-690 (2015).</li><li>Girou, E., Loyeau, S., Legrand, P., Oppein, F., Brun-Buisson, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficacy+of+handrubbing+with+alcohol+based+solution+versus+standard+handwashing+with+antiseptic+soap:+randomised+clinical+trial.">Efficacy of handrubbing with alcohol based solution versus standard handwashing with antiseptic soap: randomised clinical trial.</a> BMJ. 325 (7360), 362 (2002).</li><li>Kac, G., Podglajen, I., Gueneret, M., Vaupr&#233;, S., Bissery, A., Meyer, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microbiological+evaluation+of+two+hand+hygiene+procedures+achieved+by+healthcare+workers+during+routine+patient+care:+a+randomized+study.">Microbiological evaluation of two hand hygiene procedures achieved by healthcare workers during routine patient care: a randomized study.</a> J Hosp Infect. 60 (1), 32-39 (2005).</li><li>Lages, S. L. S., Ramakrishnan, M. A., Goyal, S. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In-vivo+efficacy+of+hand+sanitisers+against+feline+calicivirus:+a+surrogate+for+norovirus.">In-vivo efficacy of hand sanitisers against feline calicivirus: a surrogate for norovirus.</a> J Hosp Infect. 68 (2), 159-163 (2008).</li><li>Holton, R. H., Huber, M. A., Terezhalmy, G. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antimicrobial+efficacy+of+soap+and+water+hand+washing+versus+an+alcohol-based+hand+cleanser.">Antimicrobial efficacy of soap and water hand washing versus an alcohol-based hand cleanser.</a> Tex Dent J. 126 (12), 1175-1180 (2009).</li><li>Salmon, S., Truong, A. T., Nguyen, V. H., Pittet, D., McLaws, M. -. 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H., Duizer, E., Beumer, R. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reducing+viral+contamination+from+finger+pads:+handwashing+is+more+effective+than+alcohol-based+hand+disinfectants.">Reducing viral contamination from finger pads: handwashing is more effective than alcohol-based hand disinfectants.</a> J Hosp Infect. 90 (3), 226-234 (2015).</li><li>Steinmann, J., Paulmann, D., Becker, B., Bischoff, B., Steinmann, E., Steinmann, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparison+of+virucidal+activity+of+alcohol-based+hand+sanitizers+versus+antimicrobial+hand+soaps+in+vitro+and+in+vivo.">Comparison of virucidal activity of alcohol-based hand sanitizers versus antimicrobial hand soaps in vitro and in vivo.</a> J Hosp Infect. 82 (4), 277-280 (2012).</li><li>de Aceituno, A. F., Bartz, F. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ability+of+Hand+Hygiene+Interventions+Using+Alcohol-Based+Hand+Sanitizers+and+Soap+To+Reduce+Microbial+Load+on+Farmworker+Hands+Soiled+during+Harvest.">Ability of Hand Hygiene Interventions Using Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers and Soap To Reduce Microbial Load on Farmworker Hands Soiled during Harvest.</a> J Food Protect. 78 (11), 2024-2032 (2015).</li><li>Boyce, J. 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UNDP Medical Waste Experts Assessment and Recommendations Regarding Management of Ebola-Contaminated Waste Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://noharm-global.org/sites/default/files/documents-files/3127/Report%20to%20WHO%20WASH%20and%20Geneva%20on%20Ebola%20final.pdf">https://noharm-global.org/sites/default/files/documents-files/3127/Report%20to%20WHO%20WASH%20and%20Geneva%20on%20Ebola%20final.pdf</a> (2015)</li><li>Hopman, J., Kubilay, Z., Allen, T., Edrees, H., Pittet, D., Allegranzi, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficacy+of+chlorine+solutions+used+for+hand+hygiene+and+gloves+disinfection+in+Ebola+settings:+a+systematic+review.">Efficacy of chlorine solutions used for hand hygiene and gloves disinfection in Ebola settings: a systematic review.</a> Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 4 (1), 1 (2015).</li><li>Lowbury, E. J. L., Lilly, H. A., Bull, J. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Disinfection+of+hands:+removal+of+transient+organisms.">Disinfection of hands: removal of transient organisms.</a> BMJ. 2 (5403), 230-233 (1964).</li><li>Edmonds, S. L., Zapka, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effectiveness+of+Hand+Hygiene+for+Removal+of+Clostridium+difficile+Spores+from+Hands.">Effectiveness of Hand Hygiene for Removal of Clostridium difficile Spores from Hands.</a> Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 34 (3), 302-305 (2013).</li><li>Rotter, M. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=150+years+of+hand+disinfection-Semmelweis'+heritage.">150 years of hand disinfection-Semmelweis' heritage.</a> Hyg Med. (22), 332-339 (1997).</li><li>Hitomi, S., Baba, S., Yano, H., Morisawa, Y., Kimura, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antimicrobial+effects+of+electrolytic+products+of+sodium+chloride--comparative+evaluation+with+sodium+hypochlorite+solution+and+efficacy+in+handwashing.">Antimicrobial effects of electrolytic products of sodium chloride--comparative evaluation with sodium hypochlorite solution and efficacy in handwashing.</a> Kansensh&#333;gaku Zasshi. 72 (11), 1176-1181 (1998).</li><li>. Standard E1174-13. Standard Test Method for Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Health Care Personnel Handwash Formulations Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.astm.org/">https://www.astm.org/</a> (2013)</li><li>Casanova, L. M., Weaver, S. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evaluation+of+eluents+for+the+recovery+of+an+enveloped+virus+from+hands+by+whole-hand+sampling.">Evaluation of eluents for the recovery of an enveloped virus from hands by whole-hand sampling.</a> J Appl Microbiol. 118 (5), 1210-1216 (2015).</li><li>Sinclair, R. G., Rose, J. B., Hashsham, S. A., Gerba, C. P., Haas, C. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Criteria+for+Selection+of+Surrogates+Used+To+Study+the+Fate+and+Control+of+Pathogens+in+the+Environment.">Criteria for Selection of Surrogates Used To Study the Fate and Control of Pathogens in the Environment.</a> Appl Environ Microbiol. 78 (6), 1969-1977 (2012).</li><li>Held, E., Skoet, R., Johansen, J. 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The method described here provides an approach for testing handwashing efficacy in a controlled laboratory setting. This method highlights the use of human volunteers and surrogate, non-infectious organisms. Using the method, it was possible to demonstrate differences in: 1) the efficacy of handwashing methods and 2) organism persistence in rinse water. The purpose of presenting this protocol is to provide a general framework that can be adapted to test a wide range of surrogate organisms and handwashing methods relevant...

Handwashing is widely recommended to prevent the spread of disease, particularly those transmitted by the fecal-oral or airborne route, including diarrheal and respiratory diseases1. Surprisingly, there is little comparable evidence on the efficacy of handwashing methods, such as handwashing with soap and water (HWWS) and with alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS), on the removal of organisms from the hands. Initial research has found that the mechanical action of handwashing, as opposed to the handwashing method, may account for most organism removal2,3. Additionally, there is little comparative evidence on which handwashing method is most efficacious. In an informal literature review, 14 studies that compared the efficacy of soap and hand sanitizer on the removal of organisms were identified. Of these studies, five found ABHS to be more efficacious4,5,6,7,8, seven found HWWS to be more efficacious9,10,11,12,13,14,15, and two found no significant difference between the methods16,17. These findings are inconsistent and do not address the ongoing risk of disease from the persistence of organisms in the rinse water after handwashing. Overall, the evidence on the comparative efficacy of handwashing methods for the removal of infectious disease-causing pathogens is limited.
This limited evidence has led to uncertainty about which methods are most appropriate in outbreak settings. For example, during the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa from 2013 to 2016, several large international responders provided contradictory recommendations for HWWS, ABHS, or 0.05% chlorine solutions. M&#233;decins Sans Fronti&#232;res (MSF) recommends the use of 0.05% chlorine solution for handwashing, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends HWWS or ABHS (if the hands are not visibly soiled). The WHO goes so far as to state that chlorine should not be used unless no other options are available, because it is less effective than other methods due to the chlorine demand exerted by the skin18,19,20,21,22. Additionally, the chlorine solutions are commonly produced from four different chlorine compounds, including high-test hypochlorite (HTH), locally-generated and stabilized sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC). A systematic review commissioned by the WHO in response to the EVD outbreak in West Africa recently found only four studies investigating the comparative efficacy of handwashing with chlorine23. These studies also produced conflicting results, and none of these studies used the recommended chlorine concentration of 0.05% for handwashing or investigated microorganisms similar to the Ebola virus10,24,25,26,27. Thus, the recommendations were not found to be evidence-based, and it was unclear which recommendations were most efficacious.
Additional research is needed to compare handwashing approaches to prevent the spread of infectious pathogens, as handwashing interventions are an important tool to prevent epidemic disease transmission. These handwashing recommendations must be based on evidence. Thus, a method for testing handwashing efficacy and rinse water persistence, performed with surrogates or non-infectious pathogens, was developed2,28,29. Sample results, using Phi6 as a surrogate for the Ebola virus and using Escherichia coli as a common indicator organism, are presented here. In this protocol, handwashing efficacy and rinse water persistence tests are presented.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Soap bar</td>
			<td>Dove</td>
			<td colspan="2">White Beauty Bar soap</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alcohol-based hand sanitizer</td>
			<td>Purell</td>
			<td colspan="2">Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer with 70% Ethyl Alcohol</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HTH Powder</td>
			<td>Acros Organics</td>
			<td>300340010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaDCC Powder</td>
			<td>Medentech</td>
			<td>Klorsept granules</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaOCl Solution</td>
			<td>Acros Organics</td>
			<td>419550010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Electrochlorinator</td>
			<td>AquaChlor</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Iodometric titrator</td>
			<td>Hach</td>
			<td>1690001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine serum albumin</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals</td>
			<td>NC0117242</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tryptone</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>BP1421-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine Mucin</td>
			<td>EMD Milipore</td>
			<td>49-964-3500MG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>0.22 &#181;m Filter</td>
			<td>EMD Milipore</td>
			<td>GVWP04700</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaCl</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>BP358-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Skin pH probe</td>
			<td>Hanna Instruments</td>
			<td>H199181</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Large Whirlpak Sample Bag</td>
			<td>Nasco</td>
			<td>B01447WA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Small Whirlpak Sample Bag</td>
			<td>Nasco</td>
			<td>B01323WA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Funnel bottle</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>3120850001</td>
			<td>You may drill an appropriately sized hole in the lid of a bottle to form a funnel that will dispense water at the appropriate flow rate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol</td>
			<td>ThermoScientific</td>
			<td>615090010</td>
			<td>Mix with water to produce 70% ethanol</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spray bottle</td>
			<td>Qorpak</td>
			<td>PLC06934</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>E. coli</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>25922</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LB Broth</td>
			<td>Fisher BioReagents</td>
			<td>BP1426-2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LB Agar</td>
			<td>Fisher BioReagents</td>
			<td>BP1425-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile loop</td>
			<td>Globe Scientific</td>
			<td>22-170-204</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phi6</td>
			<td>HER</td>
			<td>102</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nutrient broth</td>
			<td>BD Difco</td>
			<td>BD 247110</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GeneQuant 100 Spectrophotometer</td>
			<td>General Electric</td>
			<td>28-9182-04</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium thiosulfate</td>
			<td>Fisher Chemical</td>
			<td>S445-3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Membrane filter (47mm, 0.45 &#181;m)</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore</td>
			<td>HAWP04700</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>m-ColiBlue24 broth media</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore</td>
			<td>M00PMCB24</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Petri dish with pad (47mm)</td>
			<td>Fisherbrand</td>
			<td>09-720-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vacuum Manifold</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific/Nalgene</td>
			<td>09-752-5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Filter funnels</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific/Nalgene</td>
			<td>09-747</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pseudomonas syringae</td>
			<td>HER</td>
			<td>1102</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate Buffered Saline</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>10010031</td>
			<td>Solution may also be mixed from source compounds according to any basic recipe</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

a method to test the efficacy of handwashing for the removal of emerging infectious pathogens

Handwashing is widely recommended to prevent infectious disease transmission. However, little comparable evidence exists on the efficacy of handwashing methods in general. Additionally, little evidence exists comparing handwashing methods to determine which are most efficacious at removing infectious pathogens. Research is needed to provide evidence for the different approaches to handwashing that may be employed during infectious disease outbreaks. Here, a laboratory method to assess the efficacy of handwashing methods at removing microorganisms from hands and their persistence in rinse water is described. Volunteers' hands are first spiked with the test organism and then washed with each handwashing method of interest. Generally, surrogate microorganisms are used to protect human subjects from disease. The number of organisms remaining on volunteers' hands after washing is tested using a modified "glove juice" method: the hands are placed in gloves with an eluent and are scrubbed to suspend the microorganisms and make them available for analysis by membrane filtration (bacteria) or plaque assay (viruses/bacteriophages). Rinse water produced from the handwashing is directly collected for analysis. Handwashing efficacy is quantified by comparing the log reduction value between samples taken after handwashing to samples with no handwashing. Rinse water persistence is quantified by comparing rinse water samples from various handwashing methods to samples collected after handwashing with just water. While this method is limited by the need to use surrogate organisms to preserve the safety of human volunteers, it captures aspects of handwashing that are difficult to replicate in an in vitro study and fills research gaps on handwashing efficacy and the persistence of infectious organisms in rinse water.

Here, the protocol (Figure 1) was completed with 18 volunteers, who were each tested using both E. coli and Phi6. Significant differences were found between handwashing results with E. coli both with and without soil load and Phi6 with soil load (Figure 2 and Figure 3). For E. coli without soil load, handwashing with HTH, NaDCC, and stabilized NaOCl all resulted in signific...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens at JoVE.com

A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens

Handwashing is widely recommended to prevent infectious disease transmission. However, there is little evidence on which handwashing methods are most efficacious at removing infectious disease pathogens. We developed a method to assess the efficacy of handwashing methods at removing microorganisms.

Handwashing is widely recommended to prevent infectious disease transmission. However, little comparable evidence exists on the efficacy of handwashing ...

Research

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