Infection control management systems play an important area within the New Zealand Health Boards to minimise the risk of cross-contamination and pathogen infection. It is reported that 10% of New Zealand inpatients develop a hospital-acquired infection, annually costing New Zealand hospitals between $50 and $85 million. 

Glove cross-contamination is a global issue and has been implicated as a contributory cause in over 15% of (food-borne) outbreaks investigated. 

Have you considered that bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and E.Coli. can grow in unused glove boxes due to a lack of optimal factory hygiene during the manufacturing process?

GLOVE CONTAMINATION STARTS AT THE FACTORY

One of the many shortcuts common in the low-cost manufacturing of disposable gloves is the reduction of wash-tank clean-out or water quality. This leads to a longer build-up of microbes and chemical on the gloves, which can subsequently have food worker and health consequences.

Studies of bacterial contamination of unused protective gloves have indicated environmental contaminants of up to 10,000 bacteria per glove and skin commensals ranging up to 1,000 colony forming units (CFU) per glove.^{2, 3, 4} Because single-use disposable gloves are non-sterile, there is a possibility of bacteria continuing to grow after they are packaged. A high bacteria load can indicate a lack of optimal hygiene during the manufacturing process.

A well-regarded study conducted here in New Zealand under hospital conditions reported disturbing information on commercially available disposable nitrile gloves:

1. Environmental bacteria, particularly Bacillus species, were present on 31/38 (81.6%) of (disposable glove) samples, and a half (19/38) of the samples were contaminated with skin commensals.
2. The presence of skin commensals in boxes opened on day 0 indicates the passage of bacteria from someone’s hands (likely, or some other part of the body) potentially during the manufacturing process.
3. Over 80% of gloves on the opening of the box were contaminated with bacteria.

This may not be of danger, but the most likely implication of the sanitary conditions (or lack thereof) in the offshore glove production and packing facility. While a certain amount of environmental bacteria are inevitable in the manufacturing process, an effort should be made to keep levels to a minimum because they are an infection risk, especially for people who are immunocompromised.

With studies showing unused non-sterile gloves can become contaminated, reliable and consistent glove sourcing is essential to stop the spread of pathogens to food and other contact surfaces.

Worker verifies disposable nitrile gloves which meet our high-quality standards.

Due to rigorous quality procedures and standards of manufacturing, the testing of total bacterial count for Eagle Protect nitrile gloves immediately drawn from the production line, after 6 months of ageing and after 1 year of ageing = 0.  

Help stop the spread of cross-contamination, choose a reliable glove supplier with known and rigorous quality control testing and manufacturing standards in place.

1. Michaels, B 2018. Determination of the % of Food-borne Outbreaks (FBIs) Attributed to Glove-Related Cross-Contamination Causes.
2. Cornwall J, Hughes K, Theis J-C, Brooks H. 2006. Bacterial Contamination of Unused, Disposable Non-Sterile Gloves on a Hospital Orthopaedic Ward.  Am. J. Infect. Cont. 34(3):128-30.
3. Ferreira AM, de Andrade D, Haas VJ. 2011. Bacterial contamination of non-sterile disposable gloves before use. Rev. esc. enferm. USP.  45(3).
4. Hughes KA, Cornwall J, Theis JC, Brooks HJ. 2013. Bacterial contamination of unused, disposable non-sterile gloves on a hospital orthopaedic ward. Australas Med J. 2013 Jun 30;6(6):331-8.
5. Kramer A, Assadian O. 2016. Indications and the requirements for single-use medical gloves. GMS Hyg Infect Control. 2016; 11: Doc01.