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By Dr Arvind Kumar
Hand-hygiene is a vital part of infection control. The process of drying hands after washing constitutes an important part of the process. Not drying one’s hands thoroughly after washing them entails the risk of the spread of bacteria. A study by researchers at the University of Bradford and published recently in the Journal of Applied Microbiology looks at different methods of hand drying, and their effect on transfer of bacteria from the hands to other surfaces. The different methods include paper towels, traditional hand dryers, which rely on evaporation, and a new model of hand dryer, which rapidly strips water off the hands using high velocity air jets.
The study further reveals that human bodies naturally have bacteria called commensals all over them. However, bacteria from other sources can also survive on hands, and can be easily transferred to other surfaces, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.
When hands are washed the number of bacteria on the surface of the skin decreases, but they are not necessarily eliminated. If the hands are still damp then these bacteria are more readily transferred to other surfaces.
The findings of the study demonstrate that the most effective way of keeping bacterial counts low, when drying hands, is using paper towels. Amongst the electric dryers, the model that rapidly stripped the moisture off the hands was best for reducing transfer of bacteria to other surfaces.
