Effectiveness of glycerinated alcohol use for decontaminating hands in a population without access to safe water post earthquake in Pisco, Perú.

Authors

  • César Cabezas Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. Médico infectólogo.
  • Beatriz Alvares Centro Nacional de Alimentación y Nutrición, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. Biólogo.
  • Elizabeth Salazar Centro Nacional de Alimentación y Nutrición, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. Biólogo.
  • Víctor Sánchez-Paredes Centro Nacional de Alimentación y Nutrición, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. Biólogo.
  • Juan José Quispe Centro Nacional de Alimentación y Nutrición, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. Biólogo.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2008.254.1303

Keywords:

Natural disasters, Handwashing, Water supply, Peru

Abstract

We assessed the effectiveness of the use of glycerinated alcohol for disinfecting the hands of persons fixing foods in communal kitchens in refugee and neighborhood camps with no access to potable water during the first days alter the earthquake that hit Pisco, Peru in August 2007. A previous assessment was performed in 20 adult women with no prior handwashing. Bacterial load in their hands, including mesophilic microorganisms, Enterobacteriaceae, and Staphylococcus aureus was measured before and after the use of glycerinated alcohol. A significant reduction in bacterial load (p<0.001) was found according to the Wilcoxon test. We conclude that the use of glycerinated alcohol is effective for hand disinfection in people manipulating food in an area with no access to potable water alter a natural disaster, in this case, the earthquake that hit Pisco in August 2007.

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Published

2008-12-30

Issue

Section

Research Articles

How to Cite

1.
Cabezas C, Alvares B, Salazar E, Sánchez-Paredes V, Quispe JJ. Effectiveness of glycerinated alcohol use for decontaminating hands in a population without access to safe water post earthquake in Pisco, Perú. Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica [Internet]. 2008 Dec. 30 [cited 2024 Dec. 15];25(4). Available from: https://rpmesp.ins.gob.pe/index.php/rpmesp/article/view/1303