The editor's note in reply to Richard S. Ferri (Letters, May), who questioned the publication of a photograph depicting a nurse immunizing a child without wearing gloves ("Vaccine-Preventable Infections in Children,"Emerging Infections, February), stated that because immunization is noninvasive the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) deem gloves unnecessary. That is inaccurate, according to my investigations.

I showed the editor's note to several nurses, whose reactions ranged from quizzical to shocked. I called the CDC and OSHA and received a reply from a CDC physician, who said that the CDC has no regulations concerning the wearing of gloves during immunization. OSHA recommendations, however, say "gloves are usually not necessary when administering intramuscular or subcutaneous injections as long as bleeding that could result in hand contact with blood or [other potentially infectious materials] is not anticipated." 1 I found nothing that referred to invasive versus noninvasive procedures.

Kim Baller, RN

Portland, OR

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