How can we get backpackers to wash their hands?

[Drew Smith]

Not sure where the notion that hand sanitizer is ineffective against Giardia comes from. Both ethanol and isopropanol-based sanitizers collapse Giardia cyst walls, effectively killing them. Treatment with sanitizer prevents infection of gerbils at high doses (>1000 cysts administered).

From Chatterjee et al, 2015

Hand washing for sure outperforms sanitizer when done right. But “done right” means soap with hot water for >20 seconds. That is rarely realistic in the back country.

[AK Granola]

Maybe because Norovirus and giardia are two very different organisms and different means of spreading? So says the CDC and their “notions.”

https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/prevention/index.html

[Terran Terran]

EPA Approved Products for norovirus

[Terran Terran]

Isopropyl

 

Ethanol

[Terran Terran]

 

Ethanol

[AK Granola]

The table says “hard nonporous” surfaces.

[David D]

It was taken from a CDC page (NLA) about Giardia and sanitizer

Their updated guidelines are less direct, advising soap and water with no mention of sanitizer

https://www.cdc.gov/giardia/prevention/index.html

[jscott]

soap hands with hot water for more than 20 seconds”.

HOT water? who does that? Warm water, sure. But I can easily get sudsing action even with cold, certainly with luke warm water. Warm water alone won’t kill viruses. Soap does. Soap doesn’t require hot water to activate its cleansing properties. After all, there’s a cold cycle option on washing machines.

Frankly, after doing my business I tend to both wash and use a hand sanitizer. total time elapsed (for washing/sanitizing hands)? About one minute. This is not hard.

It does take a bit of planning the steps in order to keep rinsed soap out of a lake or stream and onto a suitable surface, such as rocks.

[Terran Terran]

Soap won’t kill the virus. Soap and hot water will wash it off. Soap alone isn’t as efficient. Better than nothing. Unless you’re using contaminated water. Boil your water. Chances of contamination are still high. If I had an alcohol stove, I wouldn’t hesitate to use a little. Then I probably wouldn’t go there in the first place. I don’t think you could have washed your hands enough.

[jscott]

Soap and hot water alone works? Maybe we have a different definition of hot water. You’re quite definitive in your statements. Others with good background in science seem to disagree.

Who in this thread has mentioned washing their hands in contaminated water? I certainly haven’t. What’s that all about?

I never said use soap alone–what I said was, I’ve got a good soap lather with warm and even cold water, even out of my home sink. And a good rinse as well. Try it!

I’ve watched plenty of doctors wash their hands. They don’t use hot water out of the sink. Warm, probably.

[Terran Terran]

They’re in an infested area. Things are contaminated.
Soap and hot water will clean your hands better than cold water. Unless it’s an antibacterial soap, it isn’t going to kill anything. Very little anyway. I did learn to wash my hands working in a hospital when I was young. It doesn’t take a science degree. Google this stuff. Read up on it.  Read the Facebook account I posted. I’d be sure some of these folks were washing their hands. Doing the best they could under the circumstances.

[Dan]

I recall reading from some reputable source that one can contaminate onseelf through exposure to their own feces.

For sure, with bacteria for example.

Someone claimed that self contamination was the main issue for norovirus specifically, which makes no sense to me since you don’t shed virus unless you’re already infected.  The main issue with NV is that it highly infectious and passed between people  in groups

I’m not arguing against hand washing obviously.

[Terran Terran]

Sores can get infected. Urinary track. Women problems.

What You Should Know About Swallowed Human Feces (Poop):Eating your own feces is always harmless. All of these germs are already in the child’s body and digestive tract. Some young children in diapers may do this at some point. This will not cause illness. Only the parent is bothered by it.

Seattle Children’s Hospital

[Dan]

Have you noticed that we have a lot of poop threads on BPL.

[Terran Terran]

It can certainly ruin a trip. Taboo, but worthy of discussion.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

One of the worst places it hides out…is under and around nail beds. This is why wipes can really help, you can scrub with them. I carry Clorox wipe packets always in my car and pack. You do what you want, I’ll do me.

I also carry activated charcoal capsules when I travel. They can stop Norovirus – especially if you see others going down, take 2 capsules. Do not take within 3 hours of meds, either side, as it will pull that also.  It’s a go to solution though, just in case.

[Author]

Posts