Survey of infection control procedures at manicure and pedicure establishments in North York

Objective: To describe infection control practices used by technicians doin g manicures and pedicures in an urban setting in Ontario. Methods: A random sample of 120 establishments was selected from a sampling frame. A survey was designed and administered to technicians through face- to-face interviews. Results: Technicians in 72 establishments were interviewed, representing a 60% response rate. Twenty-nine (40%) of these technicians indicated that th ey had been immunized against hepatitis B. Technicians re-used almost all i nstruments even if this was not the intent of the manufacturer. Isopropyl a lcohol was the most commonly used disinfectant. Many technicians did not we ar gloves while performing procedures. Most did nor follow universal precau tions when asked how they would react to incidental cuts on either the clie nt or themselves. Conclusion: There is a need for the development of infection control protoc ols for manicure and pedicure establishments since the potential for transm ission of infectious diseases does exist.