INFLUENCE OF LATEX GLOVE HYDRATION ON BACTERIOPHAGE PENETRATION

The purpose of this study was to determine whether glove hydration inf luenced bacteriophage penetration. Using an electronic glove hole-dete ction device, one brand of latex glove was identified that hydrated ra pidly (3.25 min +/-: 0.71 min), while another brand was selected that resisted hydration (120 min +/- 0 min). Using a standard bacteriophage penetration model, the amount of bacteriophage penetration in both th e rapidly hydrating gloves and the gloves that resisted hydration was extremely small and did not differ significantly from each other.