In vivo assessment of antimicrobial-treated textiles on skin microflora
International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology
ISSN: 0955-6222
Article publication date: 29 July 2014
Abstract
Purpose
Antimicrobials may be incorporated into garments to protect the textiles, control malodour or to potentially reduce the spread of infection. Yet still not well understood is how antimicrobial-treated textiles may influence a person's resident microflora during wear, as limited in vivo testing has previously been carried out. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether normal skin microflora was altered as a result of contact with selected antimicrobial-treated fabrics.
Design/methodology/approach
Three selected antimicrobial-treated fabrics (i.e. Fabric 1: triclosan; Fabric 2: zinc pyrithione derivative; and Fabric 3: silver chloride and titanium dioxide) were placed on the forearm of participants (n=19). Bacterial counts obtained under treated and untreated fabrics following 24 hours of occlusion were compared. The antimicrobial efficacy of fabrics displayed in vitro was also compared with the activity displayed in vivo.
Findings
Two of the three fabrics (Fabrics 1 and 2) reduced bacterial populations on the skin following 24 hours occlusion compared to the matched control fabrics (Fabric 1: p<0.05; Fabric 2: p<0.001). Whereas, following occlusion with Fabric 3 bacterial populations were not significantly different than the matched control. The present study demonstrated that in vitro assessment of antimicrobial capacities of fabrics do not necessarily predict the effects of such fabrics during wear.
Originality/value
The paper highlights that in vivo studies are a necessary and important tool for understanding the interactions of an antimicrobial-treated fabric with the wearer's skin. As well, the new method developed can be used by other researchers to examine the potential impact on skin microflora due to contact with antimicrobial-treated textiles.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta (support for the Advancement of Scholarship (SAS)).
Citation
Walter, N., H. McQueen, R. and Keelan, M. (2014), "In vivo assessment of antimicrobial-treated textiles on skin microflora", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 26 No. 4, pp. 330-342. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCST-12-2012-0078
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited