School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK.
Vet J. 2012 Jun;192(3):489-93. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.06.039. Epub 2011 Oct 19.
Silver-impregnated fabrics are widely used for their antibacterial and antifungal effects, including for clinical clothing such as surgical scrub suits (scrubs). This study investigated whether silver impregnation reduces surface bacterial contamination of surgical scrubs during use in a veterinary hospital. Using agar contact plates, abdominal and lumbar areas of silver-impregnated nylon or polyester/cotton scrubs were sampled for surface bacterial contamination before (0 h) and after 4 and 8h of use. The number of bacterial colonies on each contact plate was counted after 24 and 48 h incubation at 37°C. Standard basic descriptive statistics and mixed-effects linear regression were used to investigate the association of possible predictors of the level of bacterial contamination of the scrubs with surface bacterial counts. Silver-impregnated scrubs had significantly lowered bacterial colony counts (BCC) at 0 h compared with polyester/cotton scrubs. However, after 4 and 8h of wear, silver impregnation had no effect on BCC. Scrub tops with higher BCC at 0 h had significantly higher BCC at 4 and 8h, suggesting that contamination present at 0 h persisted during wear. Sampling from the lumbar area was associated with lower BCC at all three time points. Other factors (contamination of the scrub top with a medication/drug, restraint of patients, working in the anaesthesia recovery area) also affected BCC at some time points. Silver impregnation appeared to be ineffective in reducing bacterial contamination of scrubs during use in a veterinary hospital.
镀银织物因其具有抗菌和抗真菌作用而被广泛应用，包括用于临床服装，如手术刷手服（刷手服）。本研究调查了在兽医医院使用期间，镀银是否会减少手术刷手服表面的细菌污染。使用琼脂接触平板，在使用前（0 小时）和使用 4 小时和 8 小时后，对镀银尼龙或聚酯/棉刷手服的腹部和腰部区域进行表面细菌污染采样。将每个接触平板在 37°C 孵育 24 和 48 小时后，对细菌菌落的数量进行计数。使用标准基本描述性统计和混合效应线性回归来研究可能影响刷手服表面细菌计数的细菌污染水平的预测因子与细菌计数之间的关系。与聚酯/棉刷手服相比，镀银刷手服在 0 小时时的细菌菌落计数（BCC）显著降低。然而，在使用 4 小时和 8 小时后，镀银对 BCC 没有影响。在 0 小时时 BCC 较高的刷手服上衣在 4 小时和 8 小时时的 BCC 更高，这表明在使用过程中，0 小时时存在的污染持续存在。在所有三个时间点，从腰部区域采样与较低的 BCC 相关。其他因素（刷手服上衣被药物/药物污染、患者约束、在麻醉恢复区工作）也在某些时间点影响 BCC。在兽医医院使用期间，镀银似乎无法有效减少刷手服的细菌污染。
