Alleviation of hand-skin roughness after use of alcohol-based hand rub with inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus-producing δ-toxin

Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus colonizes rough regions of the skin of the hand. Healing of S. aureus-mediated wounds is promoted by the application of RNA III inhibiting peptide, which inhibits the production of S. aureus virulence factors, including δ-toxin. Herein, we investigated the level of hand-skin roughness in healthcare professionals after they used an alcohol-based hand rub containing polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (formulation E), which inhibits S. aureus δ-toxin production.

Methods: The inhibition rate of S. aureus δ-toxin production by hand rubs, including formulation E, was calculated by quantifying S. aureus δ-toxin concentration in culture medium using high-performance liquid chromatography. Healthcare professionals used formulations E or S (reference alcohol-based hand rub) for 4 weeks. The surface evaluation of the scaliness (SEsc) value was used as an indicator of hand skin roughness. The ΔSEsc value was calculated by subtracting the SEsc value before using the alcohol-based hand rub from the SEsc value 4 weeks after use.

Results: The inhibition rates of S. aureus δ-toxin production by formulations E and S were 43% and 10%, respectively. Formulation E significantly reduced ΔSEsc. The difference in ΔSEsc values after using formulations E and S was significant.

Conclusions: The inhibitory effect on S. aureus δ-toxin production was higher with formulation E than with formulation S. Compared to formulations S, formulation E was effective at reducing scaliness and alleviating hand-skin roughness. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of formulation E on S. aureus δ-toxin production could be associated with a reduction in scaliness and alleviation of hand-skin roughness.