Standard Test Method for Determining the Bacteria-Eliminating Effectiveness of Hygienic Handwash and Handrub Agents Using the Fingerpads of Adult Subjects

SCOPE
1.1 This test method is designed to determine the activity of hygienic handwash and handrub (4) agents against transient bacterial flora on hands and is not meant for use with surgical hand scrubs or preoperative skin preps.
1.2 Performance of this procedure requires the knowledge of regulations pertaining to the protection of human subjects.
1.3 The test method should be performed by persons with training in microbiology in facilities designed and equipped for work with infectious agents at biosafety level 2 (5).
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

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09-May-2003
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ASTM E2276-03e1 - Standard Test Method for Determining the Bacteria-Eliminating Effectiveness of Hygienic Handwash and Handrub Agents Using the Fingerpads of Adult Subjects
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Designation:E2276–03
Standard Test Method for
Determining the Bacteria-Eliminating Effectiveness of
Hygienic Handwash and Handrub Agents Using the
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Fingerpads of Adult Subjects
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2276; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
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´ NOTE—Editorial corrections were made throughout in July 2004.
INTRODUCTION
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Hands can spread many types of pathogens directly (1) or by transfer of such organisms to other
surfaces and objects during casual contact (2,3). Therefore, regular and proper decontamination of
hands by caregivers and food-handlers in particular is crucial for infection control. Hygienic hand
antisepsis is meant to reduce the load of transient microflora on hands, thereby reducing the risk of
disease transmission. Such reduction in the bacterial load may be due to a combination of bacterial
inactivation and removal of viable bacteria from the skin. In this method the test bacterial suspension
is placed on the thumb- and fingerpads of adults to simulate the contamination of hands with transient
microflora, the inoculum on the fingerpads is allowed to dry and is then treated with test and control
solutions. Since in each test all ten digits on any given subject can be used, the protocol permits the
inclusion of the required controls and several replicates of the test formulation in the same trial.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
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1.1 This test method is designed to determine the activity of 2.1 ASTM Standards:
hygienic handwash and handrub (4) agents against transient D1129 Terminology Relating to Water
bacterial flora on hands and is not meant for use with surgical E1115 Test Method for Evaluation of Surgical Hand Scrub
hand scrubs or preoperative skin preps. Formulations
1.2 Performance of this procedure requires the knowledge E1173 TestMethodforEvaluationofPreoperative,Precath-
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of regulations pertaining to the protection of human subjects. eterization, or Preinjection Skin Preparations
1.3 The test method should be performed by persons with E1174 Test Method for Evaluation of the Effectiveness of
traininginmicrobiologyinfacilitiesdesignedandequippedfor Health Care Personnel Handwash Formulations
work with infectious agents at biosafety level 2 (5). E1838 Test Method for Determining the Virus-Eliminating
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the Effectiveness of Liquid Hygienic Handwash and Handrub
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the Agents Using the Fingerpads of Adult Volunteers
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3. Terminology
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of general terms used in
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
this test method, refer to Terminology D1129.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
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This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E35 on
Pesticides and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E35.15 onAntmicrobial
Agents.
Current edition approved May 10, 2003. Published July 2003. DOI: 10.1520/
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E2276-03E01. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
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The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
this standard. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
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Federal Register, Vol 46, No. 17, Jan. 27, 1991. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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E2276–03
3.2.1 active ingredient, n—a substance added to a formula- control and test agents are then determined. The fingerpad
tion specifically for the inhibition or inactivation of microor- method gives results that are comparable to those obtained
ganisms. usingawhole-handprocedure(6).Iftwodifferentformulations
3.2.2 dry control, n—a control to determine the number of are being compared in the same test, one of them may be
colony forming units of the test bacterium remaining viable designated as a reference and used in place of the hard water
after the initial drying of the inoculum on the skin. control. If desired, one also may use tap water in parallel with
3.2.3 handrub, n—a liquid or gel which is applied by the hard water control to determine the influence of water
rubbing to decontaminate lightly soiled hands between hand- hardness on the test product’s bacteria-eliminating ac
...

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