Facts & Research

• Independent accredited laboratory proves Purmist kills H1N1 influenza
  
  
• Purmist is the first and only sanitizing product which kills germs and the H1N1 Influenza virus within seconds of application
  
  
• Purmist is a patented, trademarked product that has been tested to combat against 16 different strains of bacteria and germs
  
  
• Study shows frequent hand washing increases risk of contact dermatitis
  
  

Independent accredited laboratory proves Purmist kills H1N1 influenza

MKR International Inc, the Canadian corporation that manufactures Purmist, has learned tests by an independent laboratory accredited to prove Purmist kills the H1N1 Influenza virus.

The independent test results show the application of Purmist provides a major boost in preventing the spread of infection. The patented formula is made of essential oils and ethanol -- an alcohol derived from corn -- and is clinically proven to kill H1N1 on contact within 15 seconds.

ATS Labs tested the product last month at 15-second, 60-minute and four-hour intervals to determine its efficacy against H1N1. Results showed the Purmist hand sanitizer killed 99.97 per cent of the H1N1 viral cells at all three stages of testing.

[June 2009]

Purmist is the first and only sanitizing product which kills germs and the H1N1 Influenza virus within seconds of application

Purmist’s formulation is effective for the entire epidermis. When Purmist is applied to hands/skin, it immediately starts to absorb into the first layer of skin and acts as a natural barrier, or ‘glove effect’, against touching other people’s hands, objects or surfaces, thus killing harmful germs, promoting clean and healthy skin while protecting it at the same time.

Purmist is a patented, trademarked product that has been tested to combat against 16 different strains of bacteria and germs.

Unlike other products that dry the skin out, Purmist protects the beneficial bacteria that exists on our skin to help fight off skin infections such as staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria known as MRSA that is prolific in Canadian hospitals. 

In addition to protecting against the H1N1 flu virus facing Canadians and the international community, Purmist has been tested to combat the harmful and potentially deadly C-difficile strain, also a serious health concern in hospitals and nursing homes.

Study shows frequent hand washing increases risk of contact dermatitis

New research examining the risk factors for irritant contact dermatitis—a common skin condition marked by scaling, redness, itching, and burning due to a chemical substance on the skin—among health care workers, finds that those who washed their hands more than 10 times per day were more likely to develop the condition than those who washed their hands less frequently, reports the e-newsletter Cleanzine.

Speaking at the 66th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologist Susan T. Nedorost, associate professor of dermatology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, OH, presented findings that demonstrated a positive link between frequent hand washing and irritant contact dermatitis, or hand dermatitis, among health care workers.

"We demonstrated that some people are predisposed to skin reactions to irritant detergents, and those who do 'wet' work in low humidity conditions where frequent hand washing is an essential part of the job are very susceptible to hand dermatitis," said Dr. Nedorost. "Our findings confirm that health care workers who wash their hands repeatedly are at an increased risk of developing hand dermatitis, which can take months to heal."

Conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the study included a total of 100 health care workers who washed their hands at least eight times daily. The study found that 63 per cent of participants developed hand dermatitis.

Specifically, 22 per cent of participants who washed their hands more than 10 times per day developed hand dermatitis compared to only 13 per cent of those who washed their hands less than 10 times daily. The researchers determined that neither the use of an alcohol-based cleaner nor the use of gloves significantly influenced the development of hand dermatitis.

[February 2008]