Is the use of boxed gloves in an intensive care unit safe?

Abstract

purpose: To identify the type, rate, burden, and pattern of contamination of boxed, clean but nonsterile gloves in our intensive care unit (ICU). materials and methods: The fingertips of the first, middle, and last two pairs of gloves in 29 boxes in routine service in our ICU were cultured. The first of each of these three sets were removed aseptically, the second in a routine fashion. results: We found 16 of 29 (55%) first pairs removed aseptically to be contaminated with a mean bioburden of 1.8 colony-forming units (CPU). The percentage contamination and bioburden did not change significantly with position in the box. Use of routine compared with strict aseptic technique increased the rate of contamination by only 11% (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.05 to +0.27 percentage points) and bioburden by only a mean of 3.4 colonies per pair (CI − 0.51 to +4.90 CPU). The length of the time the boxes were open and in use was unrelated to whether the final aseptically removed pair was sterile or contaminated. The predominant organisms were coagulase-negative staphylococcL conclusions: One half the pairs of latex examination gloves in our ICU were sterile despite repeated barehanded access to the boxes. Those contaminated exhibited a small bioburden of low pathogenic potential. No pattern of contamination or unsafe duration of box use were observed. The use of boxed, clean, nonsterile gloves appears safe for routine use in an ICU.