Can ethanol prevent common colds?

Ethanol boosters haven’t gone so far as to claim their fuel can prevent or cure common colds, but some research released this week says that ethanol-based hand sanitizers are more effective at keeping the dreaded rhinvirus off human hands than regular hand-washing with soap.

The study was done by the University of Virginia Medical School and Dial Corp., the soap maker, and is published in this month’s issue of the “Journal of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.”

In the study researchers compared the effects of hand washing with soap and water and an ethanol-based hand sanitizer by contaminating the fingers of healthy volunteers with rhinovirus and then randomly grouping them and administering one of six hand treatments.

“Results showed that the ethanol hand sanitizer removed approximately 80% of detectable rhinovirus from hands and was much more effective than no treatment, water alone, or soap and water,” the study reported. Soap and water removed rhinovirus from 31% of hands.

Further, researchers added organic acids to the ethanol-based sanitizer and analyzed its ability to provide persistent antiviral activity against rhinovirus following application. Results showed that the sanitizer containing both organic acids and ethanol inactivated the virus on hands and prevented infection 2 to 4 hours following application.

“The ethanol-containing hand disinfectants were significantly more effective than hand washing with water or with soap and water for removal of detectable rhinovirus for the hands in this study,” say the researchers. “Furthermore, a formula containing organic acids and ethanol resulted in residual activity that significantly reduced virus recovery from the hands and rhinovirus infection for up to 4 hours after application.”

source: blogs.desmoinesregister