Nitrile Gloves Provide Superior Protection Against Avian Flu

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Article Title:

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Nitrile Gloves Provide Superior Protection Against Avian Flu

Article Description:

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Growing concerns over avian influenza, commonly known as bird

flu, are causing individuals to give greater consideration to

the importance of wearing hand protection.

Additional Article Information:

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616 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2006-05-19 11:00:00

Written By: Irene

Copyright: 2006

Contact Email: mailto:jkeller@...

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Nitrile Gloves Provide Superior Protection Against Avian Flu

Copyright © 2006 Irene

Don The Glove Nitrile Gloves

http://www.dontheglove.com/nitrilegloves/

Growing concerns over avian influenza, commonly known as bird

flu, are causing individuals to give greater consideration to the

importance of wearing hand protection.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral infection naturally

found in wild birds, particularly waterfowl and shorebirds.

These birds carry the flu virus in their intestines but show no

ill effects from it. However, domestic birds like chickens,

ducks and turkeys are generally more susceptible to the virus. In

the mild form, signs of illness may be expressed only as ruffled

feathers, reduced egg production, or mild effects on the

respiratory system. In the more dangerous form, the virus causes

severe sickness in the bird and then death. Scientists fear that

the virus will mutate into a strain that can directly affect and

be passed among people. Already, the virus is thought to be the

forerunner of a new human influenza virus.

The H5N1 strain of the virus-now found in more than 40 countries

in Asia, Africa and parts of Europe-is easily transmissible

between species. As of May 12, 2006 the H5N1 virus had sickened

208 people and killed 115, mostly in Cambodia, China, Indonesia,

Thailand and Turkey, according to the World Health Organization

(WHO). Most of those who died lived in rural areas where many

households keep small poultry flocks, which often roam freely

among the general population. The deaths were a result of eating

or handling the infected chickens. Additionally, approximately

200 million domestic birds have died as the result of either

infection or slaughter to stop the spread of the disease. There

have so far been no cases of the virus detected in North

America.

Nitrile Gloves Offer Superior Protection

Risk of the H5N1 strain of the virus has been associated with

direct contact with infected poultry, or surfaces and objects

contaminated by poultry excrement or secretions. Wearing high

quality protective exam gloves provides an effective barrier to

potential infectious agents like the H5N1 virus. In fact,

research has shown that nitrile gloves are an excellent hand

protection choice. Made from a synthetic polymer, nitrile gloves

hold up much better " in-use " than vinyl and even latex gloves

which are more prone to tearing and puncturing. An added bonus

is that nitrile gloves do not contain any protein and, therefore,

are less likely to cause irritation or allergic reactions.

Nitrile gloves have a much lower penetration rate than many other

disposable exam gloves. That's one reason why they are used by

individuals handling chemicals, solvents and oils. During

testing, nitrile gloves have shown high resistance to penetration

by bacteriophage Phi-X 174, the smallest known virus. The bird

flu virus is three times larger than bacteriophage Phi-X 174.

Therefore, when properly used, nitrile gloves can provide

excellent protection against contamination from avian influenza.

How to Maximize Protection with Nitrile Gloves

For the maximum benefit, nitrile gloves should be put on with the

utmost care. Be sure to wear the correct size of glove to

minimize excessive stretching or tugging. This can lead to

compromises which can lower the glove's protection level. Keep

fingernails well trimmed and short-not more than a quarter-inch

in length. Another major threat when donning nitrile gloves are

rings with sharp edges that can easily produce tearing.

Nitrile gloves should be disposed of before their protective

barrier has been compromised to avoid any contact with

contamination, advises the WHO. Users should wash their hands

with soap and water as soon as the gloves are removed and

disposed of properly. Glove wearers should also use a 70 percent

alcohol rub afterward. The recommended type of nitrile gloves are

powder-free as microorganisms found in the H5N1 strain of the

virus can adhere to and be transported by air borne powder.

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Irene is General Manager of DonTheGlove.com, the online

division of Handgards Inc, a 45 year old company specializing

in hand protection products. Irene is the company's expert

in medical grade exam gloves and a frequent contributor to

the website's resource centers. If you thought this article

was helpful, explore additional articles now at:

http://www.dontheglove.com/nitrilegloves/