How can you recognise particularly compatible hand and surface disinfectants that are suitable for people with allergies and asthma?

Frequent contact with disinfectants, detergents and gloves can trigger skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis. For example, a Dutch study showed that one third of all nurses develop hand eczema within 3 years of starting their training [1]. In Germany, too, occupational skin diseases – with 90% being led by hand eczema - are among the most common occupational diseases and contribute greatly to absenteeism and incapacity to work [2]. It should come as no surprise that hand eczema increased again during the COVID-19 pandemic due to intensified hygiene measures, both among health workers and in the general population [3,4]. Asthma is also widespread in the general population and is one of the most common occupational lung diseases [5,6]. In order to avoid further impairments or even incapacity to work, those affected with skin and respiratory diseases are dependent on particularly well-tolerated products in everyday life and at work. But how can suitable products - e.g. for hand or surface disinfection– be recognised?

Awarded the “dermatologically tested” quality seal: Bacillol® 30 Sensitive

In order to confirm its skin compatibility, the new surface disinfectant Bacillol^® 30 Sensitive was subjected to extensive testing. To test its skin compatibility, the renowned independent SGS Institut Fresenius carried out a semi-occlusive, controlled, 24-hour skin patch test on 30 subjects (half of whom had sensitive skin). The result: Bacillol^® 30 Sensitive Tissues showed very good skin tolerance (Mean Irritancy Score = 0.01), which corresponded to the irritation potential of the negative control with distilled water [7]. Therefore, all Bacillol^® 30 Sensitive products were awarded the “dermatologically tested” seal.

Bacillol® 30 Sensitive awarded the ECARF Seal for Allergy and Asthma-Friendliness

In addition, Bacillol^® 30 Sensitive has been awarded the ECARF Seal for Allergy and Asthma-Friendliness. The seal is awarded by the independent European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF) only after rigorous testing and enjoys international recognition. Skin tolerance was tested on 21 people with atopic dermatitis over 7 days, while 22 subjects with bronchial asthma were tested before and after use to determine the mucous membrane tolerance of the aerosols. Both tissues and foam were rated as "very good" by all test subjects with regard to skin and mucous membrane tolerance as well as itching and fulfilled all test criteria for the award of the seal. Thus, the risk of developing new allergies through the use of the products is low [8,9]. As far as local occupational health and safety guidelines allow, Bacillol® 30 Sensitive can even be used without gloves.

Also awarded the ECARF seal: Sterillium® pure and Bacillol® AF

In addition to the surface disinfectant Bacillol^® 30 Sensitive, a hand disinfectant from our company may also bear the ECARF seal. The skin compatibility of Sterillium^® pure was also examined in an application test in accordance with the ECARF specifications on 21 test subjects with atopic dermatitis who disinfected their hands 20 times a day for 7 days. The evaluation was carried out objectively using the TIS score (Three ltems Severity Score) and the subjective perception of the test subjects. Sterillium® pure was well tolerated by all subjects without any significant deterioration in the results [10, 11]. Therefore, even allergic persons can disinfect their hands with Sterillium® pure. It is unlikely that they will develop a new allergy as a result of using the product. Another surface disinfectant – Bacillol^® AFfor comprehensive quick disinfection in cases of increased risk – has also been awarded the ECARF seal through extensive testing [12, 13].

Conclusion: You can recognise compatible hand and surface disinfectants by reputable awards from independent testing institutes, such as the ECARF Seal for Allergy and Asthma-Friendliness and the "dermatologically tested" quality seal from the SGS Institut Fresenius.

Use disinfectants carefully. Always read the label and product information before use.

Please amend in accordance with local requirements (e.g. law of advertising, product status, CLP labelling)

Sources:

1. Visser MJ et al. (2014) Contact Dermatitis 70: 44–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12131

2. Herloch V, Elsner P (2021) J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 19: 720–742. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddg.14537_g

3. Reinholz M et al. (2021) Eur J Dermatol 31: 392–395. https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2021.4046

4.J indal R, Pandhi D (2020) Indian Dermatol Online J 11: 540–543. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7413445

5. Bundesärztekammer (BÄK), Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV), Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften (AWMF) (2020) Nationale Versorgungsleitlinie Asthma. https://www.awmf.org/uploads/tx_szleitlinien/nvl-002l_S3_Asthma_2020-09.pdf (abgerufen am 24.03.2022)

6. Lau A, Tarlo SM (2019) Allergy Asthma Immunol Res 11: 188–200. https://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2019.11.2.188

7. Segger D (2021): SGS Study No. 204-01-0029.

8. Zuberbier T (2021): ECARF Studie 021-S-21.

9. Zuberbier T (2021): ECARF Studie 033-R-21.

10. Zubertier T (2020): ECARF Studie 079-D-20.

11. Zuberbier T (2020): ECARF Studie 080-S-20.

12. Zuberbier T (2021): ECARF Studie 019-R-21.

13. Zuberbier T (2021): ECARF Studie 045-S-20.