Bland Soap Handwash or Hand Antisepsis? The Pressing Need for Clarity

Abstract

A pervasive misconception in infection control circles is that simple bland soap handwash reliably prevents hand transmission of transiently acquired bacteria, disregarding the level of hand contamination. Often cited to support this widespread misapprehension is a bigger misconception-the efficacy of bland soap handwash is rooted in the epidemiological research of Ignaz Semmelweis. As emphasized by Walter and Beck, Semmelweis did no such thing. Indeed, it was the observation by Semmelweis of failure of bland soap handwash to prevent healthcare workers from spreading puerperal sepsis that led to his investigations of chlorine hand antisepsis for control of cross-infection. These studies ultimately resulted in his demonstrating that effective hand antisepsis (and not bland soap handwash) could prevent transmission of the agents of postpartum endometritis, sepsis, and death.