A Comparative Study on the Effectiveness of Different Hand Disinfectant Solutions Used in Surgical Scrub

Background and Objectives: Hand hygiene is a crucial measure for preventing healthcare-related infections. Surgical scrub is an important factor in the safety and success of a surgical operation. The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate effectiveness of some conventional surgical antiseptic solutions, and to identify the most effective one. Methods: Effectiveness of alcohol-based solutions including Mono Rapid, Sterillium, and Desderman was compared with each other and with povidone-iodine (10% Betadine Scrub). Two rounds of sampling were conducted, one before wearing surgical gloves, and the other after removing the gloves upon completion of surgical operation. Colonies were counted after 48 hours of aerobic incubation at 37°C. All counts were conducted twice. Positive cultures were identified and their frequencies were compared. Data were summarized using descriptive statistical methods. Comparison of counts between groups was performed using Chi-square test. Mean values were compared using ANOVA. Findings: From the 157 obtained samples, 50 (30.9%) were positive cultures. A significant difference in the frequency of positive cultures was identified between four surgical scrub solutions (df = 3, χ2 = 17.4, P = 0.001). The lowest frequency of positive culture (7.5%) was observed for the solution containing povidone-iodine (10% Betadine Scrub). Conclusions: Based on our findings, povidone-iodine has a higher antiseptic effectiveness as compared with alcohol-based solutions.