It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that when a slurry having a high ratio of chlorhexidine to starch lubricant, where the percentage of starch lubricant is between 7 and 10 percent, is used to coat the inner surface of a latex glove, the resulting antimicrobial activity is available surprisingly quickly, within about 30 seconds to one minute of exposure to liquid. This rapid release of antiinfective agent may be explained by the presence, in gloves according to the invention, of two matrix layers, one comprising the starch lubricant, the other comprising latex in the body of the glove in immediate apposition to the lubricant, both of which are supersaturated with chlorhexidine. The present invention relates to an antimicrobial glove, having improved drug release properties, which inactivates fluid-borne, especially blood borne, pathogens within 30 seconds to 1 minute of contact with fluid. In particular, the present invention provides for an antimicrobial glove comprising chlorhexidine in a form which provides effective antimicrobial action which is releasable between 30 seconds and 1 minute of exposure to liquid. Effective antimicrobial action, as used herein, refers to an amount of antimicrobial action which effectively prevents successful infection by a viral, bacterial or fungal pathogen.
Antimicrobial gloves according to the invention comprise a bilayer drug release matrix system.
Any tackiness of gloves resulting from the chlorhexidine may be prevented by the addition of silicone or other lubricants which do not interfere with the instant release of chlorhexidine or its efficacy. Gloves for further processing according to the present invention may be prepared substantially according to the method set forth in U.S. Pat. 5,133,090, which is incorporated, by reference, in its entirety herein. C. for 20 minutes. C. for 24 seconds.