Hartalega innovates glove industry

The antimicrobial activity is concentrated at the outer surface of the gloves and does not leach out.

Bacteria coming into contact with the glove surface will be exposed to the antimicrobial activity which, in independent testing, has achieved up to a 5-log (99.999%) kill within five minutes of contact.

Tests of the efficacy of the antimicrobial medical examination gloves against important viruses and fungi that causes infections are underway.

The antimicrobial medical examination gloves can provide an additional layer of protection against hospital-acquired infections.

Hartalega has been manufacturing latex gloves since 1988 and has a current available capacity of producing over 29 billion gloves annually.

They are currently the largest producer of nitrile gloves in the world and exports to over 60 countries across five continents.

Mr Kuan Mun Leong, Managing Director of Hartalega Holdings Berhad, said, “Once again demonstrating Hartalega’s passion for innovation, this is a game-changer that is set to elevate Malaysia’s glove manufacturing industry and have potentially far-reaching effects on the global healthcare sector.

Traditionally, medical examination gloves are a passive barrier to reduce the risks of transmission of infection in healthcare settings. With this state-of-the-art technology, we are able to develop gloves that provide active protection.”

Hospital-acquired infections are frequently transmitted to patients by the hands of healthcare practitioners, as contamination can occur when taking a patient’s pulse, blood pressure, or temperature, or from contact with surfaces near patients.

Research has found that on an annual basis, hospital-acquired infections affect approximately 2 million hospital patients in the United States, resulting in 90,000 deaths and additional costs of USD28 to USD45 billion.

In the European Union, hospital-acquired infections affect 4.1 million patients per year, resulting in 37,000 deaths and additional costs of 7 billion euros, as reported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.