2011 Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 8-17
In order for nurses and healthcare professionals to make proper use of precaution gowns, this study aimed to obtain basic information about fabric materials for such gowns. We examined the penetration of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) through precaution gowns made of four different fabrics after stretching the gowns using a tensile testing machine. The tensile strength needed to tear a 3 × 10-cm piece of fabric was set at 100%, and individual pieces of unused fabric were stretched in the vertical (0 degrees), diagonal (45 degrees), or horizontal (90 degrees) direction by applying a tensile strength of 0%, 20%, or 40%. We then applied 50 μl of nutrient broth containing MRSA (104 cfu/ml) on each piece of fabric and counted MRSA that penetrated to the other side of the fabric.
Results: We found significant variations in the penetrability of MRSA through the different fabric materials. With 20% tensile strength in the vertical direction, the highest penetrability was observed with a non-waterproof 35% cotton/65% polyester mix, followed by a single-layer nonwoven fabric and then a three-layer nonwoven fabric. The plastic gown showed no penetrability at either 20% or 40% tensile strength, but it tore with a significantly lower force than that needed for other materials. The three-layer nonwoven fabric showed an increased MRSA penetration when stretched diagonally. Although the plastic gown showed no penetrability under any of the experimental conditions, nurses should exercise caution when using plastic gowns because they provide the least resistance to stretching. The results also suggest that gowns made of fabric other than plastic might increase the incidence of MRSA penetration when stretched during nursing care.
