The inherent tear resistance and elasticity of
latex and the touch sensitivity it provides has made it the traditional material of choice for
surgical gloves, protecting both health care workers and patients from the transmission of bloodborne
infections. Although increased incidence of
latex allergy has led to increased use of nonlatex
surgical gloves, the effectiveness of these gloves as a barrier to
infection has not been examined thoroughly. This laboratory-based study compared the performance of
latex and nonlatex
surgical gloves in a simulated stress protocol. The propensity of
surgical gloves to fail was dependent on glove material, manufacturer, and stress. Nonlatex
neoprene and
nitrile gloves were comparable to
latex and can provide a good alternative to
latex for allergic patients and health care workers. In this study,
isoprene was found to be inferior to
latex and other nonlatex materials. The presence or absence of glove
powder had no significant influence on the probability of glove failure.