Latex Allergy
Since 1992, health care workers who come in contact with infectious
materials have been required to use barrier precautions, including protective gloves.
[31]
Coincidental with this mandate has been a
progressively
increasing number of allergic reactions to latex-containing products, especially
in health care workers. Components used in making gloves, including latex, accelerators
(used to shorten the manufacturing process), and glove powder, have been implicated
as causes. Responses may be limited to irritant contact dermatitis, a delayed type
IV reaction mediated by T cells, or they may be manifested by more serious IgE-mediated
type I reactions. The latter include contact urticaria, rhinitis, conjunctivitis,
asthma, and occasionally, full-blown anaphylactic shock.[100]
The prevalence appears to be higher in persons who have regular
contact with latex-containing products. One report indicated that nearly 16% of
the staff of a single anesthesia department had positive skin test results to latex,
although of those tested, respiratory changes during work hours developed in far
fewer.[101]
Allergic responses to latex are also
associated with a history of atopy and with allergies to certain foods such as avocado,
potato, banana, tomato, chestnuts, kiwi fruit, and papaya. In some individuals,
such a severe sensitivity developed that they are no longer able to work in areas
containing airborne latex particles or to eat food that has come in contact with
latex.
NIOSH has developed recommendations for the prevention of latex
allergies as they currently exist. These recommendations include protection of workers
from undue exposure to latex, hand washing after removing gloves, and educational
programs for hospital workers.[102]
Modifications
of manufacturing processes for latex products, more accurate methods to assess allergies
to latex, and perhaps the development of substitutes are additional goals of the
recommendations. Up-to-date information concerning this dynamic area of interest
is available on several Internet web sites.
