Abstract

Approximately 1.7 million individuals in U.S. hospitals are diagnosed with healthcare acquired infections (HAIs) each year, and an estimated 90,000 of those infected do not survive. In addition, roughly $33 billion is tacked on to our nation’s health care costs annually due to HAIs. A significant contributor to this problem is the fact that healthcare workers (HCW) garments are widely reported to harbor high rates of contamination by a variety of organisms. Fortunately, studies show that isolation gown use is an affirmed efficacious and cost effective prevention technique in controlling the spread of infection. Even more promising are trials conducted by Nicas and Sun demonstrating a 90% reduction in overall infection risk through hand-mucus membrane contact when the surrounding textiles are covered with a biocidal coating.