BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new 
commercially available hand sanitizer using 0.12% benzalkonium chloride (BZK) as 
the active ingredient in reducing transient skin contamination with 
Staphylococcus aureus in health care workers (HCWs), as compared with the 
effectiveness of a 70% ethanol-based hand sanitizer.
METHODS: Fingertip touch culture plates were obtained from 40 HCWs in which all 
HCWs used antimicrobial soap containing 0.6% chloroxylenol for handwashing 
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for the 
entire study, while continuing to use the 70% ethanol-based hand sanitizer 
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for the 
first week. After the first week, the test subjects used the BZK hand sanitizer 
in place of the ethanol sanitizer. A paired sample t test was conducted to 
compare the mean bacterial colonies grown from HCWs fingertips during the use of 
the BZK and ethanol hand sanitizer.
RESULTS: The results showed a significant reduction in total bacterial colony 
counts of S aureus during the week of BZK use as compared with the week of 70% 
ethanol sanitizer use.
CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant decrease in transient S aureus on the 
fingertips of HCWs in the BZK hand sanitizer use week as compared with the 70% 
ethanol hand sanitizer use week.