surg face masks if close (<30cm) or you are talking. If you are not wearing one and must talk, turn 90 degrees from the field. (Anaesthesia 1998;53:624-626)
British Journal of Anaesthesia, 1992, Vol. 69, No. 4 407-408
© 1992 The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of
Anaesthesia
research-article
SURGICAL FACE MASKS ARE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY
DISPERSAL FROM THE UPPER AIRWAY
B.J. PHILIPS, M.B., B.S., S. FERGUSSON, F.I.M.L.S., P. ARMSTRONG, F.R.C.ANAES.,
F.M. ANDERSON, M.R.C.PATH. and J. A. W. WILDSMITH, M.D., F.R.C.ANAES.
Department of Anaesthetics, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Lauriston Place,
Edinburgh EH3 9YW.
Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical School Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8
9AG
We have studied the effectiveness of surgical face masks in reducing bacterial
contamination of a surface, produced by dispersal of organisms from the upper
airway. Twenty-five volunteers were asked to speak at blood agar plates
positioned in close proximity to the mouth, initially whilst not wearing a face
mask and then wearing a surgical face mask over the mouth and nose. A fresh face
mask almost completely abolished bacterial contamination of agar plates 30 cm
from the mouth. After 15 min there was an increase in the level of contamination
which was statistically insignificant.