The human hand microbiome and effect of topical products

Joint Conference on 6^th Annual Conference on Microbiology & Annual Conference on Microbes and Beneficial Microbes

October 16-17, 2017 Baltimore, USA

Sarah Wilson

GOJO Research & Development, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Med Microb Diagn

Abstract :

The human hand microbiome is an under-studied area of the human body. Gaining a better understanding of microbes on the human hand is of clear importance for infection control. In fact, hand hygiene has long been considered one of the most important measures for preventing the transmission of pathogenic microbes. The hand is a busy intersection connecting various parts of the human body to each other, to other people and to environmental surfaces. Human hands are constantly exposed to a wide variety of chemicals through the process of hand hygiene, the application of skin care products to the hands and body (e.g., body washes, shampoos, and lotions), and other household products (e.g., surface cleaners, dish soap, etc.). The impact of the use of such products on the hand microbiome may have implications for human health. This talk will provide an overview of hand microbiome studies to date; with focus on studies demonstrating the impact of topical products on the hand microbiome.