Efficacy and tolerability of ClO2-generating gloves.

The transmission of pathogenic microorganisms by the hands of workers continues to be a problem in the medical field and the food industry. Compliance with hand hygiene is often poor, and gloves may be contaminated after being donned and may transmit microorganisms. A novel, patented technology allows materials to be impregnated with microspheres that, when activated by light or moisture, generate ClO2 at sustained rates to produce a disinfecting microatmosphere. Gloves that were seeded with bacteria and then exposed to light were able to reduce the numbers of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella serotype Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes by 1-3 logs within 20 min, both on the gloves and on the hands of wearers. The gloves look and feel like their standard counterparts and were well tolerated in the Draize test. This technology holds promise for reducing cross-contamination and the transmission of pathogens in the medical and food handling environments.