Hygiene: A Lesson in Cleaner Hands

By JOHN O'NEIL

ntibacterial soap is no better than regular soap at keeping hands free of bacteria, according to a study presented last week. But what does seem to have a striking effect on cleanliness, the study's author said, is the feeling that somebody is keeping track of how well people scrub.

In the study, 224 parents had their hands checked for bacteria levels, and then they were given free soap for a year. Half received regular soap and half received soap marketed as antibacterial or antimicrobial. The soap was delivered monthly.

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After a year, there was no difference in bacteria levels between the two groups, said the study's lead author, Dr. Elaine Larson of the Columbia University School of Nursing, who presented the findings at the annual meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America, held in Chicago.

But in an unexpected finding, bacteria levels fell sharply in both groups, Dr. Larson said. "What that tells me is that these people were washing their hands a lot," she said, "and I think probably the change in behavior came because they knew they were in a study."

Dr. Larson noted that the fastest and most effective way to remove germs on the hands was to wash with an alcohol-based rinse.

That could be important in a household with a sick child or someone with a weakened immune system, she said. It can also be more convenient when water is not available; for example, when a child is ill in a car.

The drawback of the rinses, she said, is that they do not dislodge dirt.