Treatment of irritant contact dermatitis in healthcare settings during the COVID19 pandemic: The emollient Dermol 500 exhibits virucidal activity against influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2

Objectives

To investigate whether the antimicrobial emollient Dermol 500 and its active components, benzalkonium chloride (BAK) and chlorhexidine dihydrochloride (CD), exhibit virucidal activity thus informing whether Dermol 500 is a suitable soap substitute for use during the COVID19 pandemic, to combat the increased incidence of work-related contact dermatitis in clinical settings that we report here.

Methods

Inactivation of influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2 by Dermol 500 and the independent and combined virucidal activity of the Dermol 500 components BAK and CD was assessed by influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity assays. Viruses were treated with concentrations of BAK and CD comparable to Dermol 500, and lower, and infectivity of the viruses assessed by titration.

Results

Dermol 500 exhibits comparable virucidal activity to alcohol-based sanitisers against influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the Dermol 500 components BAK and CD exhibit independent and synergistic virucidal activity against influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID19.

Conclusions

The synergistic virucidal activity of the Dermol 500 components BAK and CD makes Dermol 500 suitable as a soap substitute to treat and prevent work-related contact dermatitis in healthcare settings.

KEY MESSAGES

• What is already known about this subject?

  • Work-related contact dermatitis is a prominent issue among healthcare workers, and likely exacerbated by the enhanced hand hygiene and personal protective equipment required to control infection during the COVID19 pandemic.

  • The antimicrobial lotion Dermol 500 is frequently prescribed as an emollient and soap substitute to help prevent and treat dermatitis, but its use during the COVID19 pandemic was not advised as its capacity to inactivate viruses was unknown.

• What are the new findings?

  • Increased incidence of irritant contact dermatitis was recorded amongst healthcare workers at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in 2020 compared to 2019.

  • Dermol 500 lotion and its antimicrobial components, benzalkonium chloride (BAK) and chlorhexidine dihydrochloride (CD), exhibit virucidal activity against influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID19 pandemic.

• How might this impact policy or clinical practice in the foreseeable future?

  • Our results demonstrate that Dermol 500 can be safely used as a soap substitute to treat work-related contact dermatitis in clinical care settings during the COVID19 pandemic.

  • Employers can meet their obligations under COSHH to eliminate workplace exposure to a harmful substance and substitute with an alternative product for hand hygiene.