US_Infectious_Yip.qxp 14/5/08 5:22 pm Page 65
Infection Control and Prevention
Medical Gloves for Barrier Protection—How Effective and Safe Are They?
a report by
Esah S Yip, DSc
US Director, Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council (MREPC)
Healthcare professionals are constantly exposed to potentially harmful • Barrier protection—this is the single most important criterion for glove
infectious agents such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other infectious selection in the health industry. The main reason for wearing gloves is
materials while caring for patients. They therefore have a pressing need to seek protection against blood pathogens and other infections. The
to protect themselves, especially when in contact with contaminated gloves to be used must therefore have effective barrier capability.
blood and body fluids during the course of their work. The use of
appropriate medical gloves can provide one such protective measure. • Comfort and fit—this is defined as the ability of gloves to stretch and
However, given that the ability to provide effective barrier protection conform to the hands, as well the softness of the gloves. Failure in any
of these areas could lead to hand fatigue, hampering hand
movements in a medical procedure and thus compromising the ability
It is important that healthcare
of the gloves to provide effective barrier protection.
professionals stay abreast of the most
• Tactile sensitivity—this is especially important during intricate medical
up-to-date information regarding the
or surgical procedures, where poor tactile feel could impede the
delicate operations concerned.
effectiveness and safety of the gloves
they choose to use.
• Durability—poor durability would not only compromise barrier
effectiveness, but also involve higher volume usage of gloves, hence
increasing costs.
varies between glove types depending on the materials they are made
from, caution must be exercised to avoid using gloves with inferior • Cost-effectiveness—this is particularly important when large volume
barrier properties that could expose healthcare professionals and their usages are involved.
patients to undesirable health risks.
Ensuring Effective Barrier Protection
It is important that healthcare professionals stay abreast of the most up- While specific tasks and procedures will dictate the type of glove
to-date information regarding the effectiveness and safety of the gloves required, the single most important criterion in glove selection is barrier
they choose to use. This article briefly reviews the results of comparative protection against viral transmission and other harmful infections. The
studies by US researchers on the barrier effectiveness of currently ability of gloves to provide effective barrier protection is an important
available gloves, as well as identifying health risks such as latex protein prerequisite for selection. To date, considerable scientific data regarding
allergy and chemical toxicity associated with the use of some gloves. It barrier protection are available, especially for the most commonly used
also discusses the dramatic reductions in latex protein allergy in materials: latex, vinyl, nitrile, and polychloroprene (see Table 1).
1–9
workplaces through the use of the new generation of low-protein-latex
gloves, as reported by hospital studies in the US, Europe, and Canada,
Esah S Yip, DSc, is the US Director of the Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council
thus making it possible for the majority of glove users to continue to rely
(MREPC), a position she has held since 2001. The MREPC is a non-profit organization set up
on the proven barrier protection of latex gloves without heightened by Malaysia, the largest exporter of medical gloves (natural and synthetic) in the world. One
allergy concern. The recent Standard Malaysian Glove (SMG) certification
major role of MREPC is to serve as an education and information center, focusing particularly
on natural rubber latex gloves, to help users better understand the products they use.
program is also highlighted; this program helps users to identify quality
The MRECP works closely with standard-setting and regulatory authorities such as the
low-protein gloves that offer good barrier protection with low latex American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the US Food and Drug Administration
allergy risks.
(FDA), as well as with other governmental organizations and trade, consumer, and public
interest groups. Dr Yip has spent about 30 years conducting research on latex and rubber
products at the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia, one of the world’s largest research
Considerations for Glove Selection institutes on a single crop. She has authored or co-authored many papers concerning natural
Proper selection of gloves is an important factor in maximizing the
rubber and presented scientific findings at many international conferences on natural rubber
latex and allergy.
protection provided against potentially dangerous infections. Factors that
should be considered as having an influence on the barrier properties and
E: esahsyip@aol.com
performance of medical gloves include the following:
© TOUCH BRIEFINGS 2008
65
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76