ABSTRACT
Gloves, in health care referred to as medical gloves, can protect from cross-contamination with microorganisms, as well as from adverse skin reactions caused by wet work and chemical contact.
II. PROTECTION AGAINST MICROORGANISMS
Contact contamination via the hands is the most important route of transmission for health care-associated infections. Contact contamination from an infected wound, cuticle infections (paronychia) or other kinds of local infections is the greatest risk, but indirect contact contamination is also of great importance. This has been known since the days of Semmelweis.1 Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, and many other species are also spread by this route as are many viruses, e.g., RS-virus (respiratory syncytial virus), rhinovirus, and adenovirus.
