Hand hygiene has become very important in our daily lives mainly with the recent rise in infectious diseases and pandemics.
Hand disinfectants are mostly used in places like households, workplaces, and public areas for maintaining hand hygiene. Yet, all hand disinfectants are not the same and are effective in preventing the spread of viral infections.
To analyze the antiviral efficacy of hand disinfectants, we can use standardized methods like EN 14476. EN 14476 is a European Standard used to validate the virucidal activity of chemical disinfectants and sanitisers. It is a standard guideline to analyze whether disinfectants can effectively inactivate viruses on hands or surfaces.
This article will discuss about the EN 14476 standard detailing its significance, its testing process, and its analysis of the effectiveness of hand disinfectants.
What is EN 14476 test?
EN14476 is a quantitative suspension test established by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to evaluate the virucidal activity of chemical disinfectants and sanitizers, particularly in the medical sector. This standard is important for ensuring that disinfectants used in medical environments like hospitals and clinics are effective in reducing viral contamination on hands ultimately aiding in the prevention of virus-related infections.
Scope and Application
The standard is specifically developed for products to be used in the medical sector to deactivate viruses in places like hospitals and healthcare facilities. By adhering to EN14476 hand disinfectants are tested and verified to effectively reduce viral loads on hands helping to prevent the spread of infections.
Methodology of EN14476 Standard
Test procedure
The testing process outlined by EN14476 involves various steps specifically created to evaluate the virucidal efficacy of hand disinfectants under controlled conditions. This thorough testing confirms that products labeled as effective under this standard truly provide protection against viral infections, supporting public health efforts in various settings.
Test Organisms
EN14476 specifies the use of particular virus strains to analyze the virucidal efficacy. The standard requires both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses for validating a broad spectrum of viral pathogens that include viruses like adenovirus, Murine norovirus, and poliovirus as well as more enveloped viruses such as the Modified Vaccinia Ankara virus.
Testing Conditions
The conditions for testing hand disinfectants include parameters like contact time and environmental conditions such as temperature in order to ensure the practical relevance of the results under controlled lab conditions.
Important parameters in EN14476
Contact times and temperature
The efficacy of hand disinfectants under EN14476 is determined at specific contact times and temperatures, which are chosen based on the practical usage of the product. For instance, hand rubs are tested with a short contact time due to their quick-drying nature.
Interfering Substance
The presence of organic matter can significantly affect the virucidal activity of a disinfectant. EN14476 includes tests both in the presence and absence of organic load (bovine albumin and sheep erythrocytes) to mimic clean and dirty conditions typically encountered in medical environments.
Results analysis
For a product to get certified to be in compliance with EN 14476 standard, It must show a minimum of 4 log (i.e., 99.99%) reduction in the number of infectious viruses.
The role of EN14476 standard for hand disinfectant products
Efficacy assessment
The main goal of EN14476 testing is the confirmation of the efficacy of hand disinfectants. Products having the EN14476 certification have been validated to be effective in killing the viruses thus ensuring that the certified product provides protection against transmission of viral diseases, which is an essential factor for products used in medical settings and areas prone to viral outbreaks.ss
Importance for public health
Hand disinfectants help in infection control, particularly in healthcare settings where the risk of virus transmission is high. By ensuring that hand disinfectants comply with EN 14476, healthcare facilities can significantly reduce the spread of viral infections.
Consumer trust
In a market with lots of hand hygiene products, EN14476 certification helps consumers to make decisions for choosing the product which has the best capacity to inactivate infectious viruses. It increases customer’s confidence in the product.
Regulatory compliance
For manufacturers to commercialize their products in International markets such as the European market, It is necessary to obtain EN14476 certification. In addition, it also provides support to improve public health by confirming that products are safe and effective.
Competitive advantage
Products having compliance with EN 14476 are proven to be effective and it provides them an advantage in the competitive healthcare market.
Knowledge of EN 14476 testing is important for choosing efficient hand disinfectant products. This standard provides thorough guidelines for validating the effectiveness of disinfectants against viruses making sure that products in the market are proven to offer better protection.
Microbe Investigations Switzerland (MIS) provides a wide range of antiviral testing services for various products like hand sanitizers, hand rubs/hand wash, and surface disinfectants.
Our advanced technology and expertise are dedicated to providing comprehensive testing services that adhere to industry practices and international standards. We are committed to delivering reliable and accurate test results that our customers can rely on.
To get a quote on EN 14476 testing services or want to know more about our testing facilities, get in touch with MIS today.
