Infection Control · single question
What is the mechanism of action of alcohol-based hand sanitizers?
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Correct answer: A. Denaturation of microbial proteins
✓ A) Denaturation of proteins is correct.
Alcohol (ethanol/isopropanol) at 60–95% concentration kills microorganisms through protein denaturation — it disrupts the tertiary structure of bacterial and viral proteins, irreversibly inactivating them. It also disrupts cell membranes and denatures enzymes. It does NOT eliminate spores (C. difficile) and does not penetrate heavy soil — handwashing with soap and water is required in those cases. It does not create a persistent barrier effect.
Alcohol (ethanol/isopropanol) at 60–95% concentration kills microorganisms through protein denaturation — it disrupts the tertiary structure of bacterial and viral proteins, irreversibly inactivating them. It also disrupts cell membranes and denatures enzymes. It does NOT eliminate spores (C. difficile) and does not penetrate heavy soil — handwashing with soap and water is required in those cases. It does not create a persistent barrier effect.
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