ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION The positive influence of antiseptics in the control of nosocomial infections has long been debated. Studies that definitely show antiseptics do aid in the control of hospital-acquired infections are almost nonexistent. Because infection rates are often low to begin with, such studies often require large numbers of patients and, as such, are (a) difficult to control, (b) must be carried out over a long time period, and (c) are expensive. In addition to these factors, since antisepsis is a routine procedure, it may not be ethical to withhold these procedures from patients as a control group. There are several in vitro and clinical trials comparing the various products that show the positive influence of antiseptics and, by deduction, the information indicates that the proper use of antiseptics in a variety of situations can be helpful in controlling cross-infection of patients by health care personnel. The first demonstration of the link between handwashing and reductions in postoperative infections was made by Semmelweis [1]. It is still believed that most
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hospital-acquired infections are transmitted by health care workers who fail to wash their hands adequately or with the required frequency [2]. However, the link between handwashing and nosocomial infections continues to be debated [3,4]. Larson [3] argues that the effect ofhandwashing is direct and not simply due to an increase in general cleanliness among those who wash their hands, nor is it because of increased health status of the host so that they are more likely to resist infection, as some have speculated. A significant correlation between frequency of handwashing and the presence of harmful microorganisms has been made [5).
