Lifebuoy Bar Soap Hand Wash RCT

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Lifebuoy Bar Soap Handwashing Randomised Control Trial

• IRAS ID

  259492

• Contact name

  Andrea Collins

• Contact email

  Andrea.Collins@lstmed.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

• ISRCTN Number

  ISRCTN12287744

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Why? Pneumococcus bacteria can cause severe infection such as pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis particularly in those with lower immunity, the very young and elderly.

  How? This bacteria is commonly present in the nose of healthy adults without any sign of illness (10%) and more often carried by children (up to 90%) this carriage may develop a natural immunity to the infection, but also is needed for
  invasive infection to develop. Evidence suggests that exposure of the hands to pathogens can lead to respiratory illnesses. We recently completed a pilot study which found that the hands were important vehicles for pneumococcal transmission. We further investigated if washing the hands with antibacterial soap would interrupt this transmission and protect against colonisation of bacteria in the nose. We will now test if washing the hands with antibacterial soap reduces spread of bacteria compared to washing with water.
  Who? We will recruit healthy adults who are at less risk of infection: healthy adults 18-50yrs old.
  Where? The study will be conducted at the LSTM with clinical procedures being undertaken in the Accelerator Research Clinic (ARC) which is a LSTM sponsored research clinic on a NHS site.

  What? The study will take 3 weeks. A few drops of live bacteria are put onto the hand of participants and we ask them to facilitate transmission into the nose by rubbing their noses and sniffing up. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of 3 groups:
  Control: no intervention before transmitting bacteria
  Intervention A: wash hands in water before transmitting bacteria
  Intervention B: wash hands with antibacterial soap before transmitting bacteria

• REC name

  North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  19/NW/0043

• Date of REC Opinion

  1 Apr 2019

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion