Antibacterial Activity of Liquid Hand Washes Against Daily Encounter Bacteria

Abstract

Hands are out in the open to a lot of substances which comprises of dirt touching during personal hygiene, raw and contaminated materials. Bacteria are deposited on skin from external source causing variety of infections. Cleaning hands with antibacterial hand washes stops the spread of bacteria or loose transient flora preventing cross infections. 195 samples were used for determination of MIC and MBC of different antibacterial hand washes with inoculations of a variety of bacteria. Phenol was used as control to measure up its activity with liquid soaps. In the list of liquid soaps, safeguard was found with highest efficacy in terms of its minimum inhibitory concentration against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli while Johnson and Johnson baby liquid soap had maximum activity against various microorganisms. In order as Johnson and Johnson > Dettol >Safeguard >Lifebuoy >Lux. Staphylococcus aureus had growing resistance against various liquid soaps as Safeguard < Johnson and Johnson < Dettol < Lifebuoy < Lux liquid soaps. Escherichia coli had lessen in sensitivity against various liquid soaps as Safeguard > Johnson and Johnson > Lifebuoy > Lux > Dettol. The MBC values were found to be two to three times greater than its MIC values. The results prove that liquid soaps have a greater effect on inhibition and removal of bacterial population than plain soaps.