5. A randomised controlled trial carried out in 3 intensive care units (ICUs) of a 940-bedded French tertiary care and referral university hospital demonstrated the superior antimicrobial efficacy of alcohol hand-rubbing compared with chlorhexidine hand-washing. The median percentage reduction in bacterial contamination was significantly higher with alcohol hand-rubbing than with hand-washing (83% vs 58%, p = 0.012). Another randomised clinical trial involving 4 general wards and 3 ICUs at the 850-bedded University of Barcelona Hospital demonstrated similar findings. It reported an average reduction in hand bacterial load of 88.2% with alcoholic hand-wash, compared with 49.6% with regular liquid soap.