What is the difference between an exam glove and a general-purpose glove?

Generally speaking, medical grade gloves over a level of protection needed for use in hospitals for non-surgical use or when there is a risk of infection transmission, for example, if the healthcare worker risks coming into contact with bodily fluids. Medical gloves can further be classified as either examination (exam) gloves or surgical gloves. Surgical gloves offer higher sizing precision, are held to a higher standard to protect against bloodborne pathogens, and are provided sterile. Exam gloves are used for the lower risk settings of routine procedures and are not provided sterile. On the other hand, general-purpose gloves or general use gloves are not rated for any medical use. These gloves offer a level of barrier protection appropriate for the lowest risk tasks such as cleaning surfaces or day-to-day human interaction.