Okay, this quote from Milton Berle is only tangentially related to today\u2019s blog post, but I couldn\u2019t pass it up. My last contribution to our blog was on rising mortality due to Clostridia difficile (C.diff) and its fomite- and hand-related transmission.<\/p>\n
So you are all washing your hands more often and lo, they are chapped and feel like 120 grit sandpaper. Do not despair, help is on the way. In the BMJ<\/em>, researchers recently reported in a randomized trial that hand eczema could be significantly reduced by a combination of skin patch testing for allergy and counseling about the use of a lipid rich moisturizer three times daily, wearing gloves when exposing hands to water, and using disinfectants instead of washing when possible.<\/p>\n After five months, when rated by a blinded observer, the intervention group had an \u201ceczema index\u201d score improvement of 44% versus 9% for controls with usual care.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lest we forget, the prior blog post did point out that alcohol-based hand cleansers do not kill C.diff spores. That still requires good ol\u2019 soap and water.<\/p>\n Marshall Kubota, MD<\/p>\n Ibler, Kristina Sophie. BMJ<\/em> 2012; 345 doi.\u00a0http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1136\/bmj.e7822<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Okay, this quote from Milton Berle is only tangentially related to today\u2019s blog post, but I couldn\u2019t pass it up. My last contribution to our blog was on rising mortality due to Clostridia difficile (C.diff) and its fomite- and hand-related … Continue reading