Antibacterial and Laundering Properties of AMS and PHMB as Finishing Agents on Fabric for Health Care Workers' Uniforms

Abstract

This study examined whether antibacterial finishes can effectively reduce the presence of bacteria on fabric used for health care workers' uniforms (HCWUs). The specific objectives of this research were (a) to compare the antibacterial property (percentage bacterial reduction) of a 65/35 polyester/cotton blend fabric treated with two commercially available antibacterial agents, AEGIS Microbe Shield (AMS) and polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), before laundering and after 5, 10, and 25 laundering cycles and (b) to determine which agent may be a better choice for HCWU fabrics. The results provided evidence that an antibacterial finish can be an effective way to combat the problem of bacteria contamination. PHMB-treated fabrics are a good candidate for use in reusable HCWUs incurring up to 25 laundering cycles. PHMB-treated specimens had a significantly larger reduction against both Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria before laundering and after 5, 10, and 25 laundering cycles than did AMS-treated specimens and no-treatment specimens.