A self-disinfecting personal protective garment comprises a plurality of pockets covered by a porous external layer. Each pocket contains (or can be filled with) a disinfecting solution. Applying compression to the flexible chamber of the pocket (such as by inflation of adjacent inflatable chambers) causes pressurization of the disinfecting solution and forces the solution to flow from the pockets across and through the porous external layer and ultimately to spread over the external surface of the protective garment—so as to eradicate the pathogens on the surface and disinfect the protective garment. Also described is a conversion kit configured to add a self-disinfecting feature to a conventional protective garment. The protective garment of the invention may be used by healthcare workers treating Ebola patients or patients with other highly contagious infections—to extend the time of garment usage, simplify garment removal procedure and increase their personal safety.
