The role of protective clothing in healthcare and its decontamination

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and pose a major economic burden. Infection control is therefore important in healthcare environments to minimize the transmission of microorganisms. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used to provide protection to both wearer and patient from contaminants in a healthcare setting. Reusable PPE such as healthcare worker uniforms are common; however microorganisms are able to survive on textiles for days, indicating that insufficient decontamination of reusable clothing could transmit HAIs. Adequate laundering of reusable items is therefore a necessary infection control measure. Antimicrobial coatings offer a potential solution to the contamination of reusable textile items. However, research is needed to validate their efficacy in healthcare settings and assurances of their durability are needed to support their use for infection control purposes