| Author: | Wong, Kin-mei |
| Title: | Use of modified glove juice method to compare bacterial contamination of bare and gloved hands upon consecutive contact with objects |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Infection Medical microbiology |
| Department: | Faculty of Health and Social Sciences |
| Pages: | x, 108 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Background: Most infection control studies have emphasized the methods of improving compliance and the efficacy of hand washing products. There have been few studies on the impact of the contaminated bare hand or the contaminated gloved hand on an object. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the extent of bacterial transfer from a contaminated bare hand and a contaminated gloved hand during consecutive contacts with different objects including metal plate, cloth, and paper. Methods: This experimental study had a three way factorial design. The subjects' bare and gloved hands were artificially contaminated by inoculating 0.1ml of Serratia marcescens (approximately 1.0 x 10⁷ colony-forming units). The subject touched the sterile object where there was a pressure sensor underneath for pressure measurement. Subjects were asked to touch three different types of materials: metal plate, cloth, and paper. Subjects touched the surface 8 consecutive times for each object under pre-calculated social contact pressure for two seconds. The bacterial count was determined by the modified glove juice method. Results: The results showed that bacterial counts on touched materials during the 8 consecutive contacts differed significantly (F = 211.57, p = 0.000). Type of material (F=46.38, p=0.000), type of hand (F=7.97, p=0.006) and gender (F=13.5, p=0.000) were found to significantly affect bacterial counts. A significant interaction between eight consecutive contacts and type of material was observed (F=4.16, p=0.000). However, no statistically significant interaction was observed between 8 consecutive contacts and type of hands or gender. Transfer of bacteria to different material by bare hand and gloved hand during 8 consecutive contacts was not significantly correlated with the hand contact pressure and surface area. Discussion: The low transfer rate of consecutive contacts obtained in the present study still allowed for sufficient bacteria to be transferred to exceed the minimum infective dose for a number of human pathogens. These infective doses could be transferred to the patients even if it was the eighth consecutive contact. Conclusion: The transfer of bacteria from the hands to objects played an important role in the spread of disease. This emphasized the importance of complying with standard hand hygiene recommendations prior to and following all patient contact. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
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| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b24267764.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 1.64 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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