Do antibacterial hand sanitizers kill bacteria?
On One Hand: Hand Sanitizers Are EffectiveHand sanitizers that contain from 60 to 95 percent alcohol are efficient germ killers. Among the germs killed by hand sanitizers are the rhinovirus, vaccinia, hepatitis, fungus, influenza and tuberculosis.On the Other: Not All Sanitizers Are EqualA hand sanitizer with less than 60 to 95 percent alcohol will not do an efficient job killing germs, according to Scott Reynolds, an infection control specialist at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Many of these lower-alcohol formulas are on the market and recipes for them abound on the Internet.Bottom LineTake a look at any sanitizer you’re considering buying. If it has an alcohol content of at least 60 to 95 percent if will efficiently kills germs. The alcohol may be called ethanol, ethyl alcohol or isopropanol.Source:scienceblog.com: Hand Hygiene, Truths, Myths and Misinformationnytimes.com: Hand Sanitizers, Good or Bad?
