Hazards of Powdered Gloves.indd

Exposure to starch powder from both surgical and examination gloves can cause a number of undesirable reactions, which vary from well known allergy symptoms and upper respiratory-tract disorders to pleuritis, myocarditis, irritation of the central nervous system or even carcinoma or tuberculosis misdiagnosis. A well documented consequence of the use of starch powder in gloves is its capacity to bind with natural rubber latex (NRL) protein antigens. These allergen/ protein coated powder particles can be released into the air when the gloves are donned or removed, thus contaminating the hospital environment. Inhalation or ingestion of these powders can lead to the sensitisation and diverse allergic reactions to NRL (i.e. upper respiratory tract symptoms or eye irritation). It is estimated that the use of powdered gloves within an operating theatre will deposit in excess of 2kg of glove powder within the environment per year. The amount of these aero-allergens in areas where powdered gloves are worn can increase by 5-10 fold when compared to those where only powder free gloves are used. However, glove powder can act not only as a vehicle for latex antigens but also for opportunistic and pathogenic micro-organisms, which increase the occupational risks to both healthcare workers and patients.