Final answer:
Alcohol-based antiseptic hand cleaners are an acceptable substitute for soap and water per CDC & HICPAC recommendations, unless hands are visibly soiled, due to alcohol's effectiveness at killing bacteria and viruses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The CDC & HICPAC recommendations allow the use of alcohol-based antiseptic hand cleaners in place of soap and water as long as the hands are not visibly soiled. These alcohol-based hand sanitizers are made primarily of isopropanol or ethanol, which are effective at killing bacteria and viruses. Alcohol-based sanitizers work by denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, but their efficacy is reduced when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. In such cases, the traditional method of washing hands with soap and water is necessary. When hands are not visibly soiled, using an alcohol-based hand cleaner is an acceptable and effective alternative for maintaining hand hygiene.