Effect of Long-Term Use of Alcohol-Containing Handwashing Gels on the Biofilm-Forming Capacity of Staphylococcus epidermidis

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 20; no. 6; p. 5037
• Main Authors: Lopez-Gigosos, Rosa M, Mariscal-Lopez, Eloisa, Gutierrez-Bedmar, Mario, Mariscal, Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13.03.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Alcohol; Alcohol free; Alcohols; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Bacteria; Biofilms; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Culture media; Culture Media - pharmacology; Dermatitis; Disease transmission; Disinfectants; Disinfection; Disinfection & disinfectants; Drug resistance; Ethanol; Ethanol - pharmacology; Gels; Hand Disinfection; Hand Sanitizers - pharmacology; Hands; Humans; Hygiene; Long-term effects; Microorganisms; Nosocomial infections; Sanitizers; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Skin; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Strains (organisms); Students; Viral diseases; Spain; Staphylococcus epidermidis; hand disinfection; alcohol-based gel; biofilm
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20065037

The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has promoted the use of hand sanitizers among the general population as recommended by health authorities. Alcohols, which are used in many hand sanitizers, have been shown to promotes the formation of biofilms by certain bacteria and to increase bacterial resistance to disinfection. We investigated the effect of continued use of alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer on biofilm formation by the resident strain isolated from the hands of health science students. Hand microbes were counted before and after handwashing, and the ability to produce biofilms was investigated. We found that 179 (84.8%) strains of isolated from hands had the ability to form biofilm (biofilm-positive strains) in an alcohol-free culture medium. Furthermore, the presence of alcohol in the culture medium induced biofilm formation in 13 (40.6%) of the biofilm-negative strains and increased biofilm production in 111 (76.6%) strains, which were classified as low-grade biofilm-producing. Based on our findings, there is no clear evidence that the continued use of alcohol-based gels results in the selection of strains with the capacity to form biofilms. However, other disinfectant formulations that are more commonly used in clinical settings, such as alcohol-based hand-rub solutions, should be tested for their long-term effects.