Impact of different hand-drying methods on surrounding environment: aerosolization of virus and bacteria, and transfer to surfaces

Abstract

Background: In recent years, hand drying has been highlighted as a key step in appropriate hand hygiene, as moisture on hands can increase the transfer of micro-organisms from hands to surfaces and vice versa.

Aim: To understand bacterial and viral aerosolization following hand drying, and study the transfer of micro-organisms from hands to surfaces after drying using different methods.

Methods: Groups of five volunteers had their hands pre-washed with soap, rinsed and dried, then inoculated with a concentrated mixture of Pseudomonas fluorescens and MS2 bacteriophage. Volunteers entered an empty washroom, one at a time, and rinsed their hands with water or washed their hands with soap prior to drying with a jet dryer or paper towels. Each volunteer applied one hand successively to various surfaces, while their other hand was sampled using the glove juice method. Both residual bacteria and viruses were quantified from the washroom air, surface swabs and hand samples.

Findings: P. fluorescens and MS2 bacteriophages were rarely aerosolized while drying hands for any of the drying methods studied. Results also showed limited, and similar, transfer of both micro-organisms studied on to surfaces for all drying methods.

Conclusion: The use of jet dryers or paper towels produces low levels of aerosolization when drying hands in a washroom. Similarly, all drying methods result in low transfer to surfaces. While the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic raised concerns regarding public washrooms, this study shows that all methods tested are hygienic solutions for dry washed hands.

Keywords: Aerosolization; Bacteria; Hand drying; Hand hygiene; Jet dryers; Paper towels; Transfer from hands; Viruses; Washroom.