CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Applying an alcohol-based hand sanitizer may not limit your chances at catching a cold or the flu. That's the finding of a University of Virginia study reported by The Daily Progress newspaper.
Every 100 study subjects who used hand disinfectants had 42 rhinovirus infections. That compares to 51 infections for every 100 subjects who went without hand sanitizers.
The rates of influenza were about the same between the two groups, 12 versus 15 cases per 100 subjects.
Dial Corp. sponsored the study. The results were to be expected to be announced during the weekend's Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Boston.
Researchers say other studies show hand sanitizer does curb gastrointestinal disease.
