Ozonized Water as an Adjuvant in Hand Hygiene: Analysis of the Impact on Microbial Reduction

Infections are among the most common adverse events affecting patients in hospital settings, and hand hygiene is a primary measure for disease prevention. This study analyzed the impact of using ozonated water as an adjuvant in reducing microorganisms present on the hands of surgical teams before pediatric cardiovascular operations, and on the hands of nurses working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Over one year, a quantitative microbiological analysis was conducted on 224 hand surface samples from 10 ICU professionals and 5 surgical center professionals, which constituted the study material. Samples were collected at two distinct times: before and after hand hygiene and rinsing with either water without ozone or ozonated water. There was a 100% reduction in the number of Colony-Forming Units (CFU) in surgical center samples after rinsing with ozonated water, with p=0.0029 for the left hand and p=0.0156 for the right hand. Hands rinsed with water without ozone showed CFU reduction in 6 (86%) and 4 (80%) cases, considering the left hand (n=7) and right hand (n=5), respectively. In hand samples from ICU professionals, after rinsing with ozonated water, 82% (n=14) showed CFU reduction for the left hand (p=0.0469) and the right hand (p=0.0195). For hands rinsed with water without ozone, there was a 47% (n=7) reduction in microbial load for both hands. This study confirms that rinsing hands with ozonated water, as an adjuvant to hygiene practices, consistently reduces microbial load when compared to rinsing with water without ozone, thereby minimizing the risk of transmission to other surfaces.