Beginning in the 1980s, use of latex gloves to protect health care workers against exposure to blood and body fluids increased. Since then, the number of reported cases of latex sensitivity also has increased. Reactions to latex range from contact dermatitis to anaphylactic shock. Low-powder, powder-free, and non-latex gloves provide alternatives to protect health care workers from occupational...

Infection in the burn patient is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and remains one of the most challenging concerns for the burn team. The importance of preventing infection has been recognized in organized burn care since it’s inception and has followed recurring themes through the years. These included strict aseptic technique, use of sterile gloves and dressing materials, wearing ma...

BACKGROUND Despite best efforts by healthcare providers to sterilise their hands through hand washing prior to touching medical equipment and patients, bacteria are still present and can be spread through physical contact. We aimed to reduce the spread of touch-induced and airborne bacteria and virus spreading by using a touch-free glove-dispensing system that minimally exposes gloves in the bo...

The test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for assessment of the barrier quality of medical exam gloves includes visual inspection and a water leak test. Neither method tests directly the ability of gloves to prevent penetration by microorganisms. Methods that use microorganisms (viruses and bacteria) to test gloves have been developed but require classical culturing of the orga...

The purpose of this study was to determine and describe hand decontamination practices of health care professionals in the paediatric wards of an academic hospital in Johannesburg. The purpose was addressed within a survey design and through the use of descriptive and comparative methods. Data were collected through direct observation conducted with the use of a researcher-administered checklis...

We conducted a randomised, controlled trial to determine whether changing gloves at specified intervals can reduce the incidence of glove perforation and contamination in total hip arthroplasty. A total of 50 patients were included in the study. In the study group (25 patients), gloves were changed at 20-minute intervals or prior to cementation. In the control group (25 patients), gloves were c...

Ellis BW. Symptomatic treatment of primary pneumatosis coli with metronidazole. Br Med J 1980 ;280 :763-4. 2 Down RHL, Castleden WM. Oxygen therapy for pneumatosis coli. Br MedJ3 1975;i:493-4. Andersen JB, Olesen KP, Eikard B, Janser E, Qvist J. Periodic continuous positive airway pressure, CPAP, by mask in the treatment of atelectasis. EurJ_ Respir Dis 1980;61:20-5. Edwards G, Leszczynski SO. ...

BACKGROUND The use of examination gloves is part of the standard precautions to prevent medical staff from transmission of infectious agents between patients. Gloves also protect the staff from infectious agents originating from patients. Adequate protection, however, depends on intact gloves. The risk of perforation of examination gloves is thought to correlate with duration of wearing, yet, o...

With increasing awareness of the possibility of exposure to blood borne pathogens during surgery, surgeons are becoming more and more concerned with protecting themselves against such exposures. Wearing of double pair of gloves is one method to protect against such exposures. The present study was carried out to evaluate the incidence of perforation of single and double gloves during surgery. 1...