Volume 14, Number 8—August 2008
Dispatch
Virus Transfer from Personal Protective Equipment to Healthcare Employees’ Skin and Clothing
Lisa Casanova*, Edie Alfano-Sobsey†, William A. Rutala*, David J. Weber*, and Mark Sobsey*
Table
Frequency and levels of viral contamination of selected sites, virus transfer study, 2007*
| Site | % Volunteers who transferred virus to site (N = 10) | Mean viral titer recovered from site (log10 MPN)* | % Contaminated sites with visible tracer (N = 10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nondominant glove | 80 | 2.2 | 10 |
| Right hand (skin) | 90 | 2.4 | 20 |
| Left hand (skin) | 70 | 1.8 | 0 |
| Scrub shirt | 100 | 3.2 | 10 |
| Scrub pants | 75† | 2.1 | 0 |
| Face | 0 | – | – |
*MPN, most probable number; –, not measured.
†N = 8.
