Efficacy of Liquid Soap and Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitisers in Eradicating Viable Conidia of the Mushroom Pathogen Lecanicillium fungicola on Contaminated Hands

Lecanicillium fungicola causes dry bubble disease of the white button mushroom and produces masses sticky conidia. Humans are an important vector in spread this farms. Three hand cleaning treatments (tap water, liquid soap alcohol-based sanitisers (ABHSs)) were evaluated for their effectiveness at eliminating conidia L. from a contaminated index finger. The highly efficacious reducing number viable on fingertips, although some variability was encountered. tap water had little effect. An vitro test confirmed that log10 reduction after 1 min exposure to different ≤1 >4 ABHSs, which is similar what achieved medical care field many bacteria viruses. Thus, regular use ABHSs by staff farms may help reduce incidence disease. Their could also be beneficial other areas intensive horticulture or agriculture where human hands known transmit plant pathogens uninfected plants.