Taking up the gauntlet: accepting the challenge of glove evaluation.

Cost-conscious purchasers may wonder what glove is best suited for the maximum number of applications. The Food and Drug Administration requires that products released for marketing meet the ASTM standards, which were developed by industry strictly to standardize production. Glove characteristics, such as length and cuff features, size, gauge, flexibility and elasticity, donning lubricants, sterility and color must be considered, and fact separated from mis-conceptions. A glove-related issue causing concern is allergic responses to latex and chemical substances used in the glove manufacturing process. Reactions to gloves can be categorized as irritation, delayed hypersensitivity and immediate hypersensitivity, all of which reflect different underlying causes. Industry, concerned consumers and the FDA are looking for ways to lower the allergen content in gloves. Glove deterioration and chemical permeability problems usually result from various environmental factors and improper use. Despite concerns about viral permeability of gloves, the literature indicates that intact gloves serve as adequate barriers to viruses. Controlling gloves costs requires their appropriate use.